Microbio Chapter 13- Viruses Flashcards
What is a virus?
Obligate parasites
What is a virion?
Fully developed, infective form of a virus outside a host cell
A virion contains?
A genome
A capsid
An envelope
Spikes
How can virus parasites be transmitted?
Birds, bats, humans, swine
-They act as mixing vessels for genes
What genome does a virion have?
DNA or RNA
What is a capsid?
A protein coat
Made from subunits called Capsomeres
What are the functions of a capsid?
- Used for identification (Gives cell a unique shape)
- Used for transmission to the hosts
- Used for attachment + protection
What covers the capsid?
The envelop
Do all viruses have an envelop?
No some can be non-enveloped
What is the envelop made of?
A phospholipid bilayer, proteins and crabohydrates
What is the envelop’s function?
Protection
What are a viruses spikes made from?
Protein and carbohydrates
What are the types of spikes?
Hemagglutination spike (HA)
Neuraminidase spike (NA)
What shape is a Hemagglutination spike?
Cone (triangular)
What shape is a Neuraminidase spike?
Bulb (circular)
What is the function of HA spikes?
Kills blood cells and penetrate the cell
-Can also be used to recognise the virus
What is the function of NA spikes?
Separate the virion from the host cell after infection
What part of the virus do some vaccines target?
The spike protein
e.g; Covid-19 mRNA vaccine
What do the letters and numbers in H1N1 mean?
H- Hemagglutionation
N- Neuraminidase
The numbers represent how many mutations each protein spike has undergone
What happens to a virus the more it mutates?
It gets more infectious