Light Force

Light is proving to be a powerful defensive weapon in biological warfare – the deliberate infection of others with deadly germs. Researchers know that germs, including those used as bioweapons, are susceptible to damage from ultraviolet light and they’ve developed ways to exploit this vulnerability. Here they make use of a substance found in figs (pictured, red), which attaches to germ DNA (green, purple and orange in this model). After exposure to ultraviolet light (right hand image) the fig substance forms links (yellow), which inactivates the DNA. This doesn’t destroy the germs outright but they’re unable to multiply or cause disease. Novel vaccines can be created from the inactivated germs and these are very potent because the ‘whole germ’ is utilised. An effective new vaccine against anthrax has already been developed using this method and the technology is being adapted to rid blood of viruses before transfusion.

Written by Julie Webb

Julie Webb

Writer

Julie began her career as a researcher in genetics. In 2000 she won a Wellcome Trust award for her work on a collaborative science drama, staged at the Edinburgh Festival. She now works as a freelance science writer and communicator.

• Image by Michael Hamblin and colleagues
• Massachusetts General Hospital, USA
• Originally published under a Creative Commons Licence (BY 3.0)
• Research published in Virulence, November 2013