Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler

The TWiV team describes aphid control by using a viral capsid protein to deliver a spider toxin to plants, and a human endogenous retrovirus that enhances expression of a neuronal gene.

Links for this episode

Toxin delivery to plants by viral capsid protein (Nat Biotech)
Pea enation mosaic virus (ViralZone)
Image credit: Aphid membrane feeding chamber (Sci Rep)
Aphid feeding chamber (YouTube)
Parafilm (Wikipedia)
Human endogenous retrovirus enhances neural gene (PNAS)
Flu, common cold, alternative medicine (NCCAM)
Cold vs flu (CDC)
Phage hunters
Bed bugs and infectious disease (PLoS Path)
Letters read on TWiV 272

Weekly Science Picks

Alan - Statistical error (Nature)Rich - 12 oldest animal speciesDickson - When liquids collideVincent - HIV denial and just asking questions Kathy - Sun's canyon of fire

Listener Pick of the Week

Sandra - Women physicists keep female students psychedJudi - HHMI's BiointeractiveJacob - Influenza virus HA

Send your virology questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twiv@twiv.tv

TWiV 272: Give peas a chance