Spike proteins conjure up the controversy surrounding COVID-19 and mRNA vaccines, but the infamous spike protein isn’t just helpful in spreading viruses — it can be weaponized to help stop them.
Aphids, a longtime enemy of farmers and those who grow plants, are known for their ability to wreak havoc on plants. Their voracious appetites for sap not only cause damage to plants, but these tiny pests are a vector — or transmitters of disease, particularly impacting cash crops such as soy and cotton.