But for University of Otago researchers, it is a colourful and detailed blueprint of a bacteriophage — an "exquisitely intricate virus" — which could help the medical profession in its fight against drug-resistant bacteria.
Lead author Dr James Hodgkinson-Bean studied the viruses for his PhD in the university’s microbiology and immunology department, and said they were non-harmful to all multi-cellular life.
It effectively meant they were able to very selectively target a bacterium and kill it.
"Due to this, they are increasingly being researched and applied in ‘phage therapy’ to treat highly drug-resistant bacteria."
Dr Hodgkinson-Bean said bacteriophages were able to infect bacteria through large mechanical structures described as "tails".
For the study, researchers from Otago and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology explored the structure of Bas63 (a virus which targets E. coli) in molecular detail, to understand how their tail worked during infection.
Senior author and University of Otago microbiology and immunology researcher Associate Prof Mihnea Bostina said the 3-D images were made from hundreds of thousands of individual photos taken with a microscope.
"Those ones are coming apart and they extend and they basically land on the surface of the cell.
"If we modify the yellow and orange parts, the fibres, we can probably target specific bacteria with this phage without changing anything else."
Dr Hodgkinson-Bean said the research was important for understanding how to select the optimal bacteriophages for therapies and the differences in infectious behaviour they see in the lab.
Assoc Prof Bostina said with antibiotic resistance rising and plant pathogens threatening global food security, bacteriophages offered a promising alternative.
"Our detailed blueprint of a bacteriophage advances rational design for medical, agricultural and industrial applications, from treating infections to combating biofilms ...
"Beyond science, the 3-D data — which shows the virus’ rare whisker-collar connections, hexamer decoration proteins, and diverse tail fibres — may inspire artists, animators and educators."
