Lecture 4: Virology Flashcards
Virology
The study of viruses and viral diseases
Virologist
someone who studies viruses
3 reasons why vet virology is important
- Cause high rates of mortality and morbidity
- In animals and birds cause tremendous financial losses to livestock and poultry industries, which hampers the economic development of a country
- Zoonosis
Are viruses living?
Nope
Structure of viruses
- Contain nucleic acid genome (RNA or DNA) surrounded by a protein coat (capsid) and in some cases other layers of material such as a lipid envelope
- Do not possess standard cellular organelles
What do viruses need host cells for?
- Make energy and proteins
- To multiply
Viruses can be described as _____ ______ parasites
obligate intracellular
The process of viral replication resembles an
assembly line in which various parts of the virus come together from different parts of the host cell to form new virus particles
Capsid
- protein shell of the virus that encases/envelopes the viral nucleic acid or genome
- Made up of capsomeres held together by non-covalent bonds
Nucleocapsid
Capsid + virus nucleic acid/genome
The lipid envelope is usually
a lipid bilayer derived from the host cell
Glycoproteins
present on the surface of the envelope and often appear as spikes
Naked viruses
have only a protein capsid enclosing nucleic acid
Enveloped viruses
have an additional lipid layer enclosing the nucleic acid
Pleomorphism
The ability of some viruses to alter their shape or size
