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Daily briefing: A protein on the surface of the coronavirus might explain why it is so contagious
Early results show why multiple organs might be vulnerable to the coronavirus. Plus, the month’s best science images and what the academic paper of the future might look like.
The close-up shot above shows a cancer cell that has been cut open using an ion beam. The beam has blasted part of the cell away to reveal a cross section and has cut into the silica substrate, creating a triangular shape. Ion-beam milling allows researchers to look inside cancer cells in unprecedented detail. The image by biomedical engineer Nick Moser and cancer biologist Chris Bakal was shortlisted for the science- and medical-imaging competition run by the Institute of Cancer Research in London.
• A protein on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus might explain why it infects human cells so readily. Coronaviruses use a ‘spike’ protein to infect cells. A handful of genetic and structural analyses suggest SARS-CoV-2’s spike protein is activated by an enzyme found in lots of human tissues, including the lungs, liver and small intestines. That means that the virus has the potential to attack multiple organs, and it could explain some of the symptoms of the infection. Other research has shown that the spike protein binds to a particular receptor on human cells — angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Both results, although early, hint at places where a treatment might target the virus. (Nature | 5 min read)
• A study originally set up to track influenza in Seattle is now at the centre of ground zero for COVID-19 in the United States. With testing in the country bogged down by problems, researchers in the Seattle Flu Study created their own diagnostic test — which revealed that the virus was spreading undetected in Washington state. Infectious-disease specialist Helen Chu, who co-leads the study, and other researchers on the ground share how they are helping the state prepare for a deluge of cases. (Nature | 8 min read)
Physician Bruce Aylward, who led the World Health Organization team that visited China, gives his personal insight into the success of the country’s efforts to stop the outbreak, how the virus spreads and the death rate. (The New York Times | 11 min read)
In failing to recognize that science can be political, the scientific community risks the resurrection of dangerous ideas, argues science journalist Angela Saini, who wrote the influential 2019 book Superior: The Return of Race Science. “Geneticists today rightly treat eugenics as a laughable proposition,” says Saini. “But this ignores how these ideas manifest in the real world … The people on the receiving end of the worldview that drove eugenics understand how alive it remains.”
In this four-part podcast series, researchers explore the stages of writing a top-notch paper. In the final episode, they delve into the article of the future, examining the rise of lay summaries, the pros and cons of preprint servers and how peer review is being crowdsourced and opened up.
Adam Castillejo, known until now as the ‘London patient’, reveals his identity a year after he became the second ever person to be made free of HIV with a stem-cell transplant. He is still virus-free, and his doctors are calling the treatment a cure for HIV. (The New York Times)
Exercise oncology researcher Ciaran Fairman brilliantly demonstrates what it would be like if academics gave post-conference interviews the way footballers do. Personally, I celebrate sending each edition of the Briefing by doing a special touchdown dance.
Help me ensure that this newsletter is worthy of a victory lap — please send your feedback to briefing@nature.com.