The physics of going viral: Researchers measure the rate of DNA
transfer from viruses to bacteriaJune 27th, 2012 in Biology /
Cell & Microbiology A cartoon schematic (top) and raw data
(bottom) showing a lambda bacteriophage attached to an E. coli
cell with the phage's DNA labeled with a fluorescent dye. The
phage injects its viral DNA into the cell, and as the ejection
proceeds, the dye molecules are transferred. Once inside the
cell, the dye redistributes to the bacterium's genome, causing
the whole cell to light up. Credit: Nigel Orme Researchers at
the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have been able,
for the first time, to watch viruses infecting individual
bacteria by transferring their DNA, and to measure the rate at
which that transfer occurs. Shedding light on the early stages
of infection by this type of virusa bacteriophagethe scientists
have determined that it is the cells targeted for infection,
rather than the amount of genetic material within the viruses
themselves, that dictate how