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Sunday, January 29, 2012

virus + bacteria: evolution


Evolution of a trait. An image of the protein, LamB, on the surface of the bacterial cell. Scientists examined what happened with the virus could no longer infect the bacteria through this protein.
An image of a protein, LamB, found on the surface of the bacterial cell. Scientists examined what happened when a virus could no longer infect the bacteria through this protein.
CREDIT: Justin Meyer 
The arms race between a virus and the bacteria it attacks has helped scientists better understand one of the mysteries of evolution: How new traits evolve.
In a series of experiments, the bacteria-infecting viruses repeatedly acquired the ability to attack their host bacteria through a different "doorway," or receptor on the bacteria's cellular membrane, explained Justin Meyer, the lead researcher and a graduate student at Michigan State University. [Video: The Virus Mutates]

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