General Structure of Viruses Flashcards
What are structural proteins?
Proteins that are components of the virions are known as structural proteins and they carry out a wide range of functions including protection of the virus genome, attachment of the virion to a host cell and fusion of the virion envelope to a cell membrane.
What are the non-structural proteins?
Virus proteins have many additional roles, some of which may be carried out by non-structural proteins. These are synthesised by the virus in an infected cell but are not virion components. They include the enzymes like protease and reverse transcriptase, transcription factors, primers for nucleic acid replication, the formation of ion channels in viral and cell membranes and interference with the immune response of the host.
