Scientists capture first-ever video of viruses assembling

13 Oct 2019

Scientists capture first-ever video of viruses assembling

Scientists capture first-ever video of viruses assemblingResearchers at Harvard University have captured images of the formation of individual viruses for the first time ever.

The research is important because it will provide new insights into how to fight the viruses and design self-assembling (a process in which a disordered system of pre-existing components forms an organised structure or pattern) particles.
 	The research team focused on single-stranded RNA (Ribonucleic acid) viruses, which are the most abundant type of virus on the planet. These viruses tend to be very simple and can be responsible for causing various diseases in humans such as gastroenteritis, polio, the common cold, etc.
 	For this study, the research team specifically focused on the virus that infects E. coli bacteria.
 	To observe the viruses, the researchers used an optical technique known as interferometric scattering microscopy, in which the light scattered off an object creates a dark spot in a larger field of light. The technique doesn’t reveal the virus’ structure but it does reveal its size and how that changes with time.
 	Until now, no one had been able to observe viral assembly in real-time because viruses and their components are very small and their interactions are very weak.

The study also noted that the nucleus (a round structure within a cell, containing the genetic material) formed at different times for different viruses but once it did, the virus grew very rapidly, without halting, till it reached the right size.

Credit: TCP

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Researchers at Harvard University have captured images of the formation of individual viruses for the first time ever. The research is important because it will […]

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