Bud Wiser

A single droplet of water containing the flu virus is enough to kill a person because of this microbe’s ability to spread and multiply within the body. The virus is surrounded by a coat made up of proteins that resemble one of our own and this deception allows it to be transported across our cells’ outer layer. Once inside, it hijacks the cell’s control centre (stained blue) to make thousands of copies of itself, then rearranges the cell’s infrastructure (green/yellow) to allow the newly formed viral particles move to the surface (red dots). When ready, the particles bud off into the surrounding tissue complete with their delusory protein coat, leaving the host cell depleted of resources. More cells become infected as the process repeats, until our avenging immune system kicks back. A better understanding of viral ‘budding’ will aid the quest for improved medicines and vaccines.

Written by Julie Webb

Julie Webb

Writer

Julie began her career as a researcher in genetics. In 2000 she won a Wellcome Trust award for her work on a collaborative science drama, staged at the Edinburgh Festival. She now works as a freelance science writer and communicator.

• Image by Jeremy Rossman, an entrant in the Society of Biology 2012 Photography competition
• Part of the Society of Biology's 'Biology Week'
• Image provided by the Society of Biology
• Research published in Journal of Virology 84(10): 5078-5088