TWiV 1341: Phage breaks and COVID origins

TWiV explains research that reveals dual activity of a phage-encoded lysin that modulates infection dynamics in a mycobacteriophage, and refutes a proposed link between the SARS-CoV-2 furin cleavage site and mouse-adapted MERS-coronavirus MA30.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Kathy Spindler, Angela Mingarelli, and Jolene Ramsey

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Links for this episode

• Support science education at MicrobeTV
• Positions in Rosenfeld Lab (email)
• Dual activity of phage-encoded lysin (mBio)
• Furin cleavage site and SARS-CoV-2 origins (PNAS)
• Theories on SARS-CoV-2 origins (CR Biol)
• Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!

Picks of the Week

Angela – Pigeons. An underappreciated animal. Superparamagnetic macrophages, cancer detectors, mirror mark test Kathy – Wednesday’s APOD and Graphene Jolene – Microbial Puppet Masters science exhibit, 3D-models linked in their paper Vincent – Beyond Inheritance by Roxanne Khamsi (TWiEVO 126)

Listener Pick

Lana – The Episodic Table of Elements

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.