Life as a virus is demanding. Tiny in size, and with limited genetic material, a virus must successfully take over comparatively gigantic cells or multicellular organisms. Unlike symbiotic invaders it will face a hostile reception, and it is no surprise that viruses have evolved to carry simplified, multifunctional conquest weapons, resembling the sophisticated equipment in the pocket of 007's dinner suit. A good example of such a weapon is the 'helper component protease' (HC-Pro), which is found in the group of potyviruses that infect, and cause severe disease in, a spectrum of plant species. Three papers published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, EMBO Journal and Cell now tell us something about why HC-Pro makes these viruses so successful.
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