Along with soulful eyes, endearingly long necks and warm fuzzy coats, llamas have a far less appreciated feature: They make an array of immune system antibodies so tiny they can fit into crevices on the surface of an invading virus.
...
First, they vaccinated llamas against a number of A and B strains of influenza. Then they took blood samples to collect the antibodies the llamas produced in response.Among them were four uniquely small antibodies that showed an ability to destroy many different strains of influenza. In a nod to their size and function, they called their creations "nanobodies."
From those multitasking little powerhouses, the researchers engineered a single protein capable of squeezing into spaces on a virus' surface that are too small for most proteins. The resulting "multidomain antibody MD3606," with its "impressive breadth and potency," could confer protection against pretty much any strain of flu that nature could throw in humankind's way, the study authors said.
I knew llama farming would pay off.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 05 2018, @08:31PM (4 children)
Maybe this explains Winamp resurface.
(Score: 5, Funny) by Snow on Monday November 05 2018, @08:37PM (3 children)
Clearly this is a winamp viral marketing campaign.
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Monday November 05 2018, @10:05PM
Wish I had a mod point left.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Monday November 05 2018, @10:49PM (1 child)
"Watch out...they spit!"
--in your best Robin Williams Genie voice.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by pipedwho on Monday November 05 2018, @11:35PM
Beware the Llama spits. And they were.
(Score: 2) by looorg on Monday November 05 2018, @08:33PM (3 children)
I can see the little info pamphlet now listing the possible side effects: Uncontrollable urges to spit on things. I do hope that is not how you are going to get injected with this new wonderdrug.
(Score: 1) by shrewdsheep on Monday November 05 2018, @09:03PM
Nah,... you got that backwards. First, vaccination will be performed by a Llama spitting on you. Second, the main *effect* will be that coughing is transformed into spitting, thereby reducing the reproduction number [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Monday November 05 2018, @10:30PM
Grew up out West. No change.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 05 2018, @11:05PM
Nurse enters room, spits on you, p0rn music starts.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 05 2018, @08:57PM
And we are both sorry.
(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Monday November 05 2018, @09:46PM
Admittedly a more macroscopic representation, but it helps visualize how they can evade hostile bodies [youtube.com] attempting to disable or immobilize them.
(Score: 5, Funny) by donkeyhotay on Monday November 05 2018, @10:05PM (1 child)
Pero las llamas son peligrosas. Si usted ve una llama donde hay gente nadando, usted gritar: ¡Cuidado! ¡Llamas!
¡Cuidado! ¡Cuidado! ¡Cuidado! ¡las llamas!
¡Ole!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 05 2018, @10:41PM
Beso llama.
(Score: 2) by suburbanitemediocrity on Monday November 05 2018, @11:40PM (1 child)
No, really. Mind you, llama bites can be pretty nasty.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 06 2018, @02:38AM
But inquiring minds want to know--after your sister was bitten, does she still catch the flu when it's going around?
(Score: 2) by Bot on Tuesday November 06 2018, @12:36AM
in totally unrelated news, congress is about to pass a law that makes it legal to patent llamas and all their content, for unspecified intellectual property protection.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Tuesday November 06 2018, @11:03AM
This does not surprise me. I've know that Llamas were kickass since the mid 90s:
https://classicreload.com/llamatron.html [classicreload.com]
- Strobe warning.
- For best experience, turn out the lights, turn up the volume and then plug in a pair of quickshot II turbos (securely suckered to desk) and use the left hand for movement and the right for direction of fire.
- Watch out for the screaming Mandy.