Virus News and Research

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A virus is a microscopic infectious agent that can reproduce only inside a host cell. Viruses infect all types of organisms: from animals and plants, to bacteria and archaea. Since the initial discovery of tobacco mosaic virus by Martinus Beijerinck in 1898, more than 5,000 types of virus have been described in detail, although most types of virus remain undiscovered. Viruses are ubiquitous, as they are found in almost every ecosystem on Earth, and are the most abundant type of biological entity on the planet. The study of viruses is known as virology, and is a branch of microbiology.

Sensitive technique makes it possible to study the delivery of RNA drugs

In recent years, RNA molecules, with the ability to affect or turn off pathogenic genes, have become promising drug candidates in several areas.

17 Apr 2020

Experience Matters For Immune Cells

The discovery that immune T cells have a spectrum of responsiveness could shed light on how our immune system responds to infections and cancer.

17 Apr 2020

Diagnostics, Meet CRISPR

The simplicity of urine sampling has been combined with the excellent sensing abilities of CRISPR to improve diagnostic testing for kidney transplant patients.

17 Apr 2020

Breastfeeding May Lead To Fewer Human Viruses In Infants

Small amounts of breastmilk influence viral populations in the infant's gut and provide a protective effect against potentially pathogenic viruses.

17 Apr 2020

3D simulations will show how coronavirus spike protein binds to human cell receptors

Computational chemist Mahmoud Moradi will develop enhanced, 3D simulations of the molecular dynamics of coronavirus spike glycoproteins to gain better understanding of how the virus binds to human cells.

16 Apr 2020

Single-cell cloning can lead to new therapies for COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death around the world. Now, two internationally acclaimed stem cell experts have discovered a large number of abnormal stem cells found in the lungs of COPD patients.

16 Apr 2020

Improving drug targets for asthma and rheumatoid arthritis

Researchers have found that immune T cells exhibit a range of responsiveness. This finding could offer insights into how the immune system of humans responds to infections and cancer, and what goes wrong in immune diseases.

16 Apr 2020

New algorithm predicts the evolution of genetic mutations in species

David McCandlish and Juannan Zhou, both quantitative biologists at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, have designed a new algorithm that has predictive power, providing researchers the ability to observe the way particular genetic mutations combine to make crucial proteins change over the duration of a species’ evolution.

16 Apr 2020

Scientists determine first 3D structure of COVID-19 main protease

A team of Chinese scientists has reported the high-resolution crystal structure of the main protease (Mpro) of the COVID-19 virus and has identified drugs that may hold promise in combating the virus.

15 Apr 2020

Role of VRAC ion channel in fight against virus infections

VRAC/LRRC8 chloride channels play a crucial role in the transport of neurotransmitters, amino acids, and cytostatics.

14 Apr 2020

Bio-factory plant available to researchers to help combat COVID-19

At present, the Nicotiana benthamiana plant is being used as a bio-factory for various experimental vaccines against SARS-COV-2.

14 Apr 2020

Virginia Tech researchers discover genes for metabolic cycles in 'giant viruses'

In satellite photos of the Earth, clouds of bright green bloom across the surface of lakes and oceans as algae populations explode in nutrient-rich water. From the air, the algae appear to be the primary players in the ecological drama unfolding below.

6 Apr 2020