Using an innocuous bacterial virus, bioengineers have
created a biological mechanism to send genetic messages from cell to cell. The
system greatly increases the complexity and amount of data that can be
communicated between cells and could lead to greater control of biological
functions within cell communities.
If you were a bacterium, the virus M13 might seem innocuous
enough. It insinuates more than it invades, setting up shop like a freeloading
houseguest, not a killer. Once inside it makes itself at home, eating your
food, texting indiscriminately. Recently, however, bioengineers at Stanford
have given M13 a bit of a makeover.
journal reference (abstract): jbe >>