How can an influenza virus transfer from animals to
humans even though the molecules on which they land at the cell
surface are different? To find out, researchers of the University
of Twente developed a sensor chip that mimics the cell surface and
has an increasing number of binding sites along the way. The virus
rolls across the surface until the binding is strong enough. For
visualizing and better understanding of the mechanisms involved,
the researchers created an animation, together with Dutch
veterinary lab Royal GD.
