Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), like the related rabies virus, is a bullet-shaped virus. Hong Zhou has just added VSV to his collection of cryo-electron microscopy virion structures,1 and as always with viruses, it’s just gorgeous.
 |
 |
| “Architecture of the VSV virion. … A montage model of the tip and the cryo-EM map of the trunk”1 | “A plausible process by which the nucleocapsid ribbon generates the virion head, starting with its bullet tip.”1 |
- Peng Ge, Jun Tsao, Stan Schein, Todd J. Green, Ming Luo, & Hong Zhou (2010). Cryo-EM Model of the Bullet-Shaped Vesicular Stomatitis Virus. Science, 327 (5966), 689-693 DOI:10.1126/science.1181766[↩][↩][↩]
[...] On the magic bullet virus (Source) [...]
What a beautiful looking virus!
The image is incredible. The imaging technology implemented here will do so much for research that has not been possible before.
What an extraordinary looking thing. I had no idea viruses could look so beautiful.
Man, that looks like something that was created with a pair of knitting needles!
Hmmm, after viewing your beautiful picture of that virus I’m going to have a difficult time killing them when I get sick.
Yes, viruses are incredibly interesting creatures; apparently they look pretty cool too.