1. Lecture Flashcards
define a virion
entire virus particle
“inert particles transferring genetic information”
the simplest living creatures!
virion size
20-300nm - only EM
content of a virion
NA (DNAor RNA), protein, +/- lipids (lipid coat)
high variety in shape
what is a vegetative virus
the infected cell
the infected cell is called a virus bc. the infected cell is used for reproduction
the two forms of viral exsitance
virion and vegetative virus
why are viruses called obligatory cell carasites
No energy production and protein synthesis enzymes
No (on not complete) nucleic acid replicating enzymes
virus occurance
Viruses represent about 10 % of the biomass
what is the origin of viruses
Most viruses of eukaryotes probably have been evolved
from prokaryotic viruses (bacteriophages)
– They do not fit into the phylogenetic tree of living creatures
cell degeneration
theory of virus origin:
The parasite cell lost its independence. Outside of the cell only carries the information.
runaway cell components
theory of virus origin:
(e.g. simplified host cells bc. genome similarities)
Runaway intermediate products of viral multiplication or
evolution from ancient nucleic acids
Similarities in the genome of the virus and the host cell (ribosomebinding sites, homologies in certain genes…)
retrovirus importance for our existance
needed for placenta to be made
