TWiV 179: Was ist ein virus?

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Gertrud Radu

Gertrud joins the TWiVoners to review how dengue virus infection of mosquitoes alters blood feeding behavior, and gene therapy as practiced by parasitoid wasps.

Links for this episode:

• Renato Dulbecco, 1914-2012 (virology blog)
• William Jarrett, 83 (thanks, Lynn Enquist)
• Dengue virus infection of mosquitoes alters their behavior (PLoS Path)
• Does dengue make mosquitoes thirstier for blood? (NY Times)
• Polydnaviruses of braconid wasps (Science)
• Making nice with viruses (Science)
• Viral and wasp genes involved in symbiotic replication (J Virol)
• Amazing parasitic wasp images
• The Far Side cartoon on mosquitoes (gif)
• TWiV on Facebook
• Letters read on TWiV 179

Weekly Science Picks

Gertrud - Bat on a plane! (MMWR)Alan - The Rings of Earth (YouTube)Rich - Giant Magellan telescopeVincent - Hepatitis C new drug pipeline

Listener Pick of the Week

Ricardo - Evolution: The Natural History of Animal SkeletonsPeter - Self-assembly line (YouTube)