Giant Viruses Grew Out of Small Ones: Study
Giant Viruses Grew Out of Small Ones: Study
A study employing CRISPR/Cas9 to explore the evolutionary beginnings of some giant viruses finds evidence their large genomes arose from gene duplications.
A study employing CRISPR/Cas9 to explore the evolutionary beginnings of some giant viruses finds evidence their large genomes arose from gene duplications.
amoeba
Recently Discovered Virus Family Infects a Human Oral Amoeba
Alejandra Manjarrez, PhD | Dec 1, 2022 | 3 min read
Redondoviruses, which have been associated with cases of periodontitis and other diseases, turn out to live inside the amoeba Entamoeba gingivalis.
Cancer-like Slime Mold Growth Hints at Multicellularity’s Origins
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Apr 4, 2022 | 4 min read
The poorly understood Fonticula alba, a relative of fungi and animals, hunts bacteria with a mechanism that resembles cancer and fungal growth.
Image of the Day: Amoeba Nibbles
Chia-Yi Hou | May 2, 2019 | 1 min read
A pathogenic amoeba species ingests parts of human cells and steals human cell membrane proteins to display on its own surface.
Image of the Day: Giant Virus
The Scientist and The Scientist Staff | Feb 28, 2018 | 1 min read
The Tupanvirus is named for the South American Guarani God of Thunder.
Image of the Day: Amoebot
The Scientist | Mar 2, 2017 | 1 min read
Scientists create an amoeba-inspired robotic cell, with photo-responsive DNA that allows it to move when exposed to light.
Image of the Day: Gandalf’s Hat
The Scientist | Feb 12, 2017 | 1 min read
A new species of amoeba, Arcella gandalfi, is covered in a shell that resembles a wizard’s hat.
Amoebae Have Human-Like Immunity
Jef Akst | Mar 2, 2016 | 2 min read
Dictyostelium discoideum produce extracellular nets that can kill bacteria, just as phagocytes in people and other higher animals do, according to a study.
Genome Digest
Molly Sharlach | Oct 13, 2014 | 5 min read
What researchers are learning as they sequence, map, and decode species’ genomes
Amoeba Eats Cells Alive
Ed Yong | Apr 9, 2014 | 3 min read
The intestinal parasite Entamoeba histolytica kills host cells by tearing pieces from them, which it then eats.