The emergence of new viral pathogens, the increasing prevalence of chronic viral diseases and the rise of drug resistant viral strain has increased demand for new antiviral strategies. This focus provides an update on the science and business of antiviral R&D in the biotech sector. Cover art by Susanne Harris.

Insect pests such as the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera consume a substantial portion of global agricultural outputs. Mao et al. (p 1307) and Baum et al. (p 1322) show that ingestion of transgenic plant material that expresses gene-specific double-stranded RNA can trigger potentially lethal RNA interference in several herbivorous insect pests. Credit: © Alessio Di Leo http://www.alessiodileo.com/

Three lipophilic siRNA conjugates against a background of cells. Wolfrum et al. determine how liphophilic siRNA conjugates are delivered to cells (p 1149). Credit: background and original drawing of three conjugates by Michael Günzburger. Three conjugates by Ken Eward © BioGrafx.

Bantscheff et al. use mass spectrometry to identify and quantify proteins trapped by kinobeads in the presence of increasing concentrations of a kinase inhibitor, such as imatinib (shown). Simultaneously profiling the binding of hundreds of potential cellular targets to a drug should facilitate prediction of its in vivo efficacy and safety (p 1035). Credit: Ken Eward, ©BioGrafx.

Adult mouse liver stained with antibodies to the surface markers CD26 (green) and 2G9 (red). Azuma et al. describe a mouse model that allows engraftment and expansion of human hepatocytes. p 903.

A model of two zinc-finger nucleases bound to DNA overlaid on an image of a metaphase chromosome spread. The side chains shown are key to the dimer interface of the cleavage domains, according to Miller et al. Two papers in this issue redesign the dimer interface to reduce off-target DNA cleavage. (pp 778 and 786) Credit: Jeffrey C. Miller

Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the C12D8.1 promoter, superimposed on a post-embryonic development chronogram. Vidal and colleagues quantify the spatiotemporal activity of worm promoters using flow cytometry to record longitudinal GFP intensity profiles (p 663). Credit: Eric Smith

Drosophila melanogaster superimposed on a collision-induced dissociation mass spectrum. Aebersold and colleagues use directed shotgun proteomics to detect two-thirds of the predicted fruitfly proteome (p 576). Credit: Alex Wild (http://myrmecos.net/)

Clausen and colleagues describe novel glycosidases that convert group A, B and AB blood to universal O-type blood (p 454). Extension of this technology to use in transfusion medicine will depend on performance in clinical trials and regulatory approval. Credit: Photo Researchers, Inc.

Agrobacterium radiobacter halohydrin dehalogenase with its substrate (white). Fox et al. integrate computational analysis with experimental screening to identify 37 mutations (yellow) that increase enzymatic activity ~4,000-fold (p 338). Credit: Ken Eward, ©BioGrafx.

Aspergillus niger, a fungus used for the production of enzymes and organic acids, on decaying Pelargonium petals. Pel et al. report the genome of this important bioindustrial fungus (p 221). Credit: Photo Researchers, Inc.

An ultrasound image of a 12-week-gestation fetus produced by a GE Voluson 730 Expert Ultrasound with a 3D probe. Atala and colleagues describe the isolation of multipotent stem cells from amniotic fluid (p 100). Credit: Ashley Bradford, Wake Forest University School of Medicine.