Bacteria-Killing Viruses Wield an Iron Spike

sciencehabit writes "Scientists have long known that a group of viruses called bacteriophages have a knack for infiltrating bacteria and that some begin their attack with a protein spike. But the tip of this spike is so small that no one knew what it was made of or exactly how it worked. Now a team of researchers has found a single iron atom at the head of the spike, a discovery that suggests phages enter bacteria in a different way than surmised (abstract)."

Awww

[Aerorae]

I always liked to fantasize it was a wooden one...

Re:Viruses wield iron swords

[MachDelta]

300 microns: the movie
Starring Gerard Butler as the voice of Bacterionidas
and Michael Fassbender as Infectillios
with Lena Headey as Queen Gorgorrhea
and Rodrigo Santoro as X3/rX35 the God-Virus
Featuring amazing microscopy effects which seamlessly switch between 4000x 10,000x and 16,000x views in mid action sequence!
Coming this summer!

"Tonight, we dine in the lower digestive tract!"

Re:Tools

[MooseByte]

It's worse than that. Now that the bacteriophages have achieved Iron Age upgrades, they can develop Archery and Siege Workshop. If they research Ballistics and deploy enough Helepolis units, they will become unstoppable...