From UCLA
The viruses that cause the flu, measles and rabies have a cousin that leads to fevers and blisters in four-footed beasts. This nasty bug, vesicular stomatitis virus, is much studied and has unique properties that experts hope will let it be genetically modified because it appears to be a potentially effective killer of cancer cells while sparing their normal kin; it also might have applications to attack HIV. To get to the point where the vesicular stomatitis virus and others like it might be better adapted, though, scientists needed to know about its innards, and, Bruin researchers say they have made key findings about the three-dimensional structure of VSV, which is stubby and bullet-shaped. And who says scientists: 1. don't have a sense of humor or irony 2. don't have musical flair. While decoding a key genetic sequence of VSV, researchers found that it corresponded to the opening notes of a well-known Mozart piano sonata.
Photo: illustration of bullet-shaped VSV
Key finding on structure of virus that may be engineered to attack cancer, HIV
3-D animation of key part of virus, in tune with Mozart piano sonata
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