Health & Medicine - Posted by Lee Clippard-Texas on Monday,
January 14, 2013 17:24 - 2 Comments To infect a cell, virus
‘feelers’ take a walk U. TEXAS-AUSTIN (US) — Researchers have
observed for the first time the detailed changes in the
structure of a virus as it infects an E. coli bacterium. For
infection, a virus must first be able to find a suitable cell
and then eject its genetic material into its host. The robot-
like process has been observed in a virus called T7 and
visualized by Ian Molineux, professor of biology at the
University of Texas at Austin. The new study, published in the
journal Science Express, shows that when searching for its prey,
the virus briefly extends—like feelers—one or two of six ultra-
thin fibers it normally keeps folded at the base of its head.
Once a suitable host has been located, the virus behaves a bit
like a planetary rover, extending the fibers to walk randomly
across the surface of the cell and find an optimal site for
infection. Straight from the Source At the preferred