This Week in Virology TWiV 1261: Must-see TVs
Oct 12, 2025
This week delves into groundbreaking science, starting with Jason McLellan's prestigious MacArthur Award. Discover the latest in Huntington's disease treatment, showcasing promising gene therapy trials. The hosts unpack the intricate structure of an archaeal virus, uncovering its potential evolutionary links. Additionally, a newly identified Legionella phage reveals fascinating insights into human disease. They also touch on light-hearted listener emails and share intriguing picks of the week, including the last female Great Auk specimen.
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Regulatory T Cells Shape Immunity
- The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine honored discovery of regulatory T cells and FOXP3's role in autoimmunity.
- Understanding Tregs explains both autoimmune disease and therapeutic strategies in cancer and immunomodulation.
Gene Silencing Slows Huntington's Decline
- Experimental gene-silencing delivered into the brain slowed Huntington's disease progression by ~75% in early clinical reports.
- This demonstrates that reducing mutant huntingtin can be disease‑modifying, though trials and peer review remain pending.
Tailed Archaeal Viruses Mirror Phage Architecture
- Archaea have diverse viruses including tailed icosahedral capsid viruses (ATVs) that mirror bacteriophage architecture.
- Shared structural themes suggest deep evolutionary links between bacterial, archaeal, and even herpesvirus capsid proteins.
