Ch 6, 25, 26 Flashcards
Louis Pasteur
Postulated that rabies was caused by a “living thing” smaller than bacteria
Dimitri Ivanoski
First proposed the term “virus” - poison
Ivanoski and Beijerinck
Showed a disease in tobacco was caused by a virus
Viruses
- Noncellular particles with a definite size, shape, and chemical composition
- there is no universal agreement on how and when viruses originated - likely multiple origins
- considered the most abundant microbes on earth
- infect all domains of life
- viruses played a role in the evolution of bacteria, archaea, eukarya
- obligate intracellular parasites
- not alive
- lack enzymes for most metabolic processes
- lack machinery for synthesizing proteins
- does not consist of one or more cells
- rely on host and and can’t do things independently, like replicate, process, or metabolize
Virus size
- ultramicroscopic - less than 0.2 micrometers; require electron microscope
- largest viruses average around 500-1,000 nanometers (mega viruses and panda viruses), which is 20-50x larger than an average virus
Virus Shape
- some viruses have an external covering, an envelope; those lacking an envelope are naked
- all have capsids (protein coats that enclose and protect their nucleic acid; each capsid is made of identical protein subunits called capsomers
- the capsid together with the nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) is the nucleocapsid
*shape is determined by the nucleocapsid
Two structural capsid types
- Helical: continuous helical of capsomers forming a cylindrical nucleocapsid
- Icosahedral: three dimensional, symmetrical polygon, with 20 sides and 12 evenly spaced corners
*complex/irregular: those that “don’t follow the rules”
- regular shapes often lead to aggregate/crystal formation
Helical Capsids
Nucleocapsid Assembly:
- rod-shaped capsomers assemble into hollow discs
- the nucleic acid is inserted into the center of the disc
- elongation of the nucleocapsid progress from both ends, as the nucleic acid is coiled inside
Icosahedral Capsid
Icosahedral: three-dimensional, symmetrical polygon, with 20 sides and 12 evenly spaced coroners
- arrangements of capsomers vary among Icosahedral viruses
- they can also vary in number of capsomers
- during assembly of the virus, the nucleic acid is packed into the center of the icosahedron, forming the nucleocapsid
- they can be enveloped or naked
A) Rotavirus (naked)
B) Herpes simple (enveloped)
Structure of Complex/Irregular Virus
Atypical Viruses
- Poxviruses: lack a typical capsid and are covered by a dense layer of lipoproteins
- Some bacteriophages have a polyhedral nucleocapsid along with a helical tail and attachment fibers
General Structure of Envelope Viruses
- mostly in animal viruses
- acquired when the virus leaves the host cell (source varies)
- exposed proteins on the outside of the envelope], called spikes, are essential for attachment of the virus to the host cell
Functions of capsid/envelope
- protects the nucleic acid when the virus is outside of the host cell
- helps the virus bind to a cell surface and assists the penetration of the viral DNA or RNA into a suitable host cell
- capsids are “metastable” structures
- disruption of external structures renders particle non-infectious
Viral Genome
- either DNA or RNA
- carries genes necessary to invade host cell and redirect cells activity to make new viruses
- number of genes varies for each type of virus - few to hundreds
DNA Viruses
- usually double stranded but may be single stranded
- circular or linear
RNA Viruses
- usually single stranded, may be double stranded, may be segmented into separate RNA pieces
- ssRNA genomes ready for immediate translation are positive-sense RNA
- ssRNA genomes that must be converted into proper from are negative-sense RNA
Other substances packaged in viruses
Pre-formed enzymes generally required for viral replication
- Polymerases: synthesize DNA or RNA
- Replicases: copy RNA
- Reverse transcriptase: synthesis of DNA from DNA (HIV virus)
*matrix protein enzymes (not found in all viruses)
Virion
Complete Infectious Particle
- consists of covering: capsid & envelope (not found in all viruses)
- consists of central core: nucleic acid molecules (DNA or RNA) & matrix protein enzymes (not found in all viruses)
Virus Classification
Classification based on numerous characteristics
- nucleic acid type
- presence or absence of envelope
- capsid symmetry
- dimension of virion and capsid
Virus Taxonomy and Phylogeny
- lack of information on origin and evolutionary history makes viral classification difficult
- a uniform classification system developed in 1971 by the international committee for taxonomy of viruses (ICTV); most current report 2,00 viruses, 6 orders, 87 families, 19 subfamilies, and 349 genera
Alternative Classification Scheme
David Baltimore (focuses on viral genome and process used to synthesize viral mRNA
- 7 life cycles groups based on:
- double stranded DNA
- single stranded DNA
- double stranded RNA
- single stranded RNA (+ or -)
- retrovirus
Viral Replication
- Adsorption: attachment to the host
- Penetration/Uncoding - entry of genome into the host
A. Get genome into host cell
B. Deliver to specific location in the cell - Synthesis: using the host to make viral proteins and nucleic acids
A. Copy genome
B. Make viral proteins - Assembly/Maturation: assembly of new virons
- Release: various consequences to host cell
Review of Transduction/Bacteriophage Replication
- Adsorption and Penetration: phage is adsorbed to receptor site on bacterial cell wall, penetrates it, and inserts its DNA
- Biosynthesis: the phage DNA directs the cell’s metabolism to produce viral components proteins and copies of phage DNA
- Maturation: heads are packed with DNA
- Release: bacterial cell lyses, releasing completed infective phages
Viral Specificity
- Defined by whether a virus can attach to a cell
- Requires two things
1. A receptor on the host cell
2. A protein on the virus that recognized and attaches to the receptor
*This will define the tropism of a virus
Process of the Penetration/Uncoating
- entry of genome into the host
A. Get genome into host cell
B. Deliver to specific location in the cell (DNA - nucleus) or (RNA - cytosol) - most viruses enter through one of two means
- fusion: (envelope viruses) - viral envelope fuses directly with host membrane by rearrangement of lipids
- endocytosis: (enveloped or naked) - entire virus is engulfed and enclosed in a vacuole or vesicle. Once inside, the virus is uncoated and viral nucleocapsid or nucleic acid is released