micro chapter 25 (RNA viruses) Flashcards
4 types of viruses
- +ssRNA (ex. coronavirus)
- retroviruses (ex. HIV)
- -ssRNA (ex. influenza)
- dsRNA (ex. rotavirus)
Retroviridae
- contain reverse transcriptase
- have a polyhedral capsid
- genome contains two IDENTICAL molecules of +ssRNA
What is the function of reverse transcriptase?
- transcribe +ssRNA into dsDNA
HIV characteristics
- contains a polyhedral capsid with 2 identical strands of +ssRNA
- carries enzymes in capsid
What three enzymes does HIV carry in its capsid at all times?
- integrase
- protease
- reverse transcriptase
Proofreading of rev. transcriptase
- LACKS proofreading
- makes it very error prone and causes many mutation in DNA sequence
- nicks RNA strand to expose OH group to synthesize DNA strand
What is the significance of the mutations due to lack of proofreading by rev. transcriptase?
It creates mutations in the sequence which causes protein to fold uniquely. This may prevent previous antibodies made from being able to detect HIV viruses.
Initial attachment of HIV?
- gp120 attaches to CD4
THEN - gp41 attaches to CCR5 and initiates fusion of HIV into the T-helper cell
- BOTH attachments are needed for HIV to do anything
- envelope spike proteins remain on outside of host cell
After fusion of HIV
- capsid degrades because it is made of proteins
- RNA and associated enzymes are released into T-helper cell
Function of integrase
Integrate viral DNA into our DNA
Function of protease
Cleave polycistronic genes into functional subunits
Function of rev. transcriptase
transcribe RNA into DNA
AIDS
- not a disease but a disorder
- a progression of HIV
- acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
What are the two types of HIV?
- HIV-1: prevalent in US and Europe
- HIV-2: prevalent in west Africa
Glycoproteins of HIV
- gp160 is cleaved into gp120 and gp41
HIV genes
- gag
- pol
- vif
- vpr
- tat
- rev
- vpu
- env
- nef
gag gene
- codes for p17, p24, and p7
- p17: matrix proteins that help with envelope stability
- p24: capsid proteins
- p7: bind to ssRNA and enzymes in capsid to anchor them in place
pol gene
- a polycistronic gene that codes for protease, rev. transcriptase, RNAse H, and integrase
- genes result in one big blob that has to be cleaved by protease to function
- protease: cleaved genes into functional subunits
- rev. transcriptase: transcribe RNA into DNA
- RNAse H: degrade RNA that is part of hybrid and creates nicks in RNA strand to copy DNA strand from open OH groups on RNA
- integrase: integrate viral DNA into out DNA sequence
Integration of viral genome
If viral DNA is integrated into out DNA it enters a latent phase where it is a pro-virus.
- virus is not actively made
- viral DNA is passed through generations of t-helper cells
vif gene
- counteract APOBECs in T-helper cells
- APOBEC’s are upregulated as a response to interferons binding to receptors
- chew up APOBEC’s so they cannot modify virus RNA
- ubiquitin tagging leads to rapid degradation
What is the function of APOBEC’s?
- they modify nucleic acid sequences
- when HIV enters a cell APOBEC’s can modify the RNA and make mutations that are unsustainable for the virus
vpr gene
- helps guide hybrid RNA-DNA strand into the nucleus of out cells so it can be integrated into our DNA
tat gene
- released by HIV and results in upregulation of gene transcription
- T-helper cells enter lytic phase and virus is actively being made
rev gene
- helps transcribe pieces of viral genome out of nucleus and into cytoplasm
- gets viral genome to ribosomes so it can be translated into proteins
vpu gene
- degrades CD4 on T-helper cells to prevent multiple HIV viruses from attacking same cell
- instead HIV can attach to a different T-helper cell
- increases the population of HIV
env gene
- envelope protein
- gp160 cleaved into gp120 and gp41
nef gene
- functions of gene regions to downregulate T-helper cells production of CD4
What does HIV bind to?
HIV binds specifically to CD4 receptors on T-helper cells
- this limits MHC2 response which lowers cytokine production and memory B cell production
HIV budding
- as HIV leaves host cell, it buds off host cell and picks up its spike proteins (gp120 and gp41)
- if too many bud off it can decrease the integrity of host cells membrane
- causes cell to lyse
HIV’s effect on the immune system
- HIV population levels increase by killing out T-helper cells
- this decreases cytokine levels and thus, plasma/memory B cells
How does HIV lead to death?
- lack of T-helper cells DOES NOT kill you
- if a secondary infection is apparent, lack of immune response from T-helper cells can lead to death
- HIV knocks out our immune system and when a second infection is introduced, our body cannot fight it
Why does HIV stay as a life-long disease?
- it is integrated into out DNA
- reverse transcriptase lacks proofreading and leads to mutations
- each cell has a chance of making a variant
Significance of mutations in HIV
- mutations make it so that memory B cells cannot recognize mutated strains of HIV
- because rev. transcriptase is SO error prone mutations occur over and over
- for each mutated strand, our body has to make new antibodies and mem B cells
- we lose T-helper cells at each section of this process which suppresses our immune system
Where is HIV found?
- it is found in semen, blood, saliva, vaginal secretions, and breast milk
- blood and semen are the most infective
- infected lesions must contact a cut or lesion on skin or mucous membranes
- can also be injected into the body
- it is most prevalent in south Africa
Diagnosis of HIV
- serological diagnosis
- specifically ELISA sandwich test
ELISA sandwich test process
Why is a serological test used to diagnose HIV?
- because many times it can be in the latent phase in which HIV may not be physically present in body fluids
- present in body as a pro-virus
Treatment of HIV
- want to target something that viruses have that we don’t
- HAART (highly active anti-retroviral therapy)
- a cocktail of drugs used to treat HIV
- targets reverse transcriptase enzyme
- 5 drugs used
What are the five drugs in HAART?
- nucleotide analogs
- non-nucleotide inhibitors
- integrase inhibitors
- fusion inhibitors
- protease inhibitors s
Function of nucleotide analogs
- made to mimic bases of DNA
- rely on reverse transcriptase making mistakes and picking them up to interfere with viral genome
- some lack an OH group and stop DNA sequence completely
- some have and OH group and let sequence continue but rely on creating many errors in the strand so that it cannot code for proteins correctly
- better coverage than non-nucleotide inhibitors
Function of non-nucleotide inhibitors
- bind directly to reverse transcriptase to inhibit its function
- effective but the number of enzymes overpowers the use of this drugs
- that is why it is used in a cocktail
Do nucleotide analogs or non-nucleotide inhibitors have better coverage?
nucleotide analogs