antivirals Flashcards
(36 cards)
- Define what is meant by a virus
Infectious, obligate, intracellular parasites
It is absolutely dependent on the cell machinery of the host cell to replicate Can have DNA or RNA genome
- What size do viruses range from in diameter?
10nm up to a micron
- What is the cell membrane of a non-enveloped virus made from?
pure protein
- What is meant by a tegument?
- What is the central dogma?
A bunch of proteins in coat encapsulated within an envelope
Process by which genetic instructions are converted into a functional product DNA converted into RNA by transcriptase RNA used to make protein by ribosomes of the cell
- What does it mean if a virus carries their RNA in the negative sense?
Complementary strand of mRNA
Before they translate genome into proteins They copy negative sense back into complimentary copy which is positive sense to translate this into ribosomes
- How do RNA viruses compensate for RNA genomes being shorter than DNA genomes
- What does Reverse Transcriptase do?
Use complex coding strategies to make more proteins than expected from small RNA genome
Makes DNA from host's nucleotides using the Virus' RNA as a template
- Do RNA viruses & Retroviruses use their own machinery to replicate and how does this affect their mutation rate?
They use their own polymerase to replicate
These lack proof reading, so higher mutation rate
- In cultured cells, why are some genes in virus’ genome lost?
These genes might modify the host’s immune response to give the virus a survival advantage
However, there is no immune system in cultured cells
- What are segmented genomes and how do they affect the virus?
Allow an additional easy form of recombination known as, reassortment
If different strains of virus enter same host cell, the DNA can be mixed up to give a mutated virus But also impose more difficult packaging strategies
- Describe the stages of Virus Replication
Attachment - of virus’ attachment proteins to the cell membrane receptors
Insertion - of nuclear capsid with viral genome into the cell Translation - viral genome into proteins by host cell ribosomes and machinery Assembly - of viral proteins to form viral material Exocytosis - virus leaves the host cell, if enveloped, then the cell membrane of host cell is used to make the lipid envelope of the virus
- What is meant by the cytopathic effect?
- What do viral material form on cell monolayers?
Death of the cells, caused by the virus
Could be due to shut down of host protein synthesis or accumulation of viral proteins to form plaques
plaques
- What is meant by virus morphology?
- Where are the lipid envelopes of viruses derived from?
The shape or look of a virus
From lipid membrane of the cell
- How can you find out how many virus particles are in a particular preparation of virus?
Making dilutions o viral stock and putting them onto monolayers of cells
After 2/3 days, count number of plaques formed (clear holes) Plaque Assay Method
- What is Syncytia?
Viruses with surface proteins that can fuse at neutral pH often fuse cells together
Syncytia assay is also a method of finding out how may virus particles there are in a certain sample
- What is Syncytia?
Viruses with surface proteins that can fuse at neutral pH often fuse cells together
Syncytia assay is also a method of finding out how may virus particles there are in a certain sample
- How can you use PCR with an RNA genome?
Convert RNA to DNA
Then PCR allows the specific primers to amplify the viral DNA
- How can serology be used to detect a virus in a patient?
Take blood from patient and look at the serum
To see whether there are any antibodies that are specific to that particular virus
- Why is RT-PCR used to detect SARS CoV2?
- What is meant by the therapeutic index?
Because SARS CoV2 only contains RNA
Ratio between how much drug you have to use in order to control virus and how much a patient taking the drug feels the side effects
- Give some of the ways that antiviral drugs work?
Some will target the viral enzymes - increased understanding of structure of viral components and enzymes can lead to rational drug design
Some act as nucleoside analogues to inhibit or interfere with nucleic acid replication but need to achieve some sense of specificity for viral polymerase
- What do Directly Acting Antivirals target?
Specific viral factors (specific to virus)
- What does a nucleoside analogue do?
Nucleoside analogues are synthetic, chemically modified nucleosides
They have very similar structures to nucleosides and block cellular division/viral replication by impairment of DNA/RNA synthesis or by inhibition of cellular or viral enzymes involved in nucleoside/tide metabolism
- Give 4 of the nucleoside analogues used to treat viruses
Acyclovir - Herpes
Zidovudine - HIV Remdesivir - Ebola Favipiravir - Influenza
- What is the best anti-viral agent with viral specificity?
- How does this agent work?
Acyclovir
Modified nucleoside incorporated into DNA Lack of 3 prime -OH prevents phosphodiester bond formation
- What makes this agent specific?
It is given to patients in un-phosphorylated form and needs to be phosphorylated to work
The thymidine kinase that forms acyclovir monophosphate is only formed by herpes virus family Higher affinity for viral DNA polymerase than for host cell polymerase