TWiV 484: Float like a mimivirus STING like a bat

The TWiVumvirate discuss the giant Tupanvirus, with the longest tail in the known virosphere, and dampened STING dependent interferon activation in bats. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASM Microbe 2018 Tailed giant Tupanvirus (Nat Commun) Soda Lakes (Wikipedia) Dampened STING in bats (Cell Host Microbe) Image credit Letters read on TWiV 484 Weekly Science Picks Kathy - How to read a phylogenetic tree Brianne - No immune overload for vaccines Dickson - Flowchart of viral families Alan - Letters to a Pre-Scientist Vincent - True believers, entrepreneurs, and scammers in alternative medicine and Simply Put: Vaccines Save Lives Listener Picks Vinayaka - Code of Ethics for Young Scientists Matt - TWiV 443 Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]