Old Exam 2 Questions Flashcards
What is the route of entry into the host for a virus that is transmitted in the vector-human pattern?
Give an example, from the MB 461 case suited, of a specific, named virus that has this transmission pattern
break in the skin from a bite from the vector
Sindbis virus
What is the name given to the transmission pattern of a virus that causes zoonotic infection?
Give an example, from the MB 461 case study of
animal to human
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1
What are three routes by which virus infection potentially can spread through a human host?
blood, lymph, nerves
When they infect a human host, which of these routes is/are used by (i) poliovirus and (ii) Sindbis virus
(i) blood and nerves
(ii) lymph and blood
Which one of these factors normally restricts influenza A virus to cells of the respiratory tract?
Influenza A virus is unable to get to the specific tissue
After attachment of Sindbis virus to host cells, by what mechanism does penetration occur?
clathrin-mediated endocytosis
What event triggers the uncoating of Sindbis virus particles?
acidification of the late endosome
Briefly outline the mechanism by which Sindbis virus particles are uncoated, and identify the differences between the two models that have been proposed for this process?
In the acidic environment of the late endosome, the spike is triggered by a conformational change in the virion which is transduced to underlying nucleocapsid. This causes the E1 subunit of the spike to go into the endosomal membrane. From here, the two membranes can fuse, or the spike can open a channel or aqueous pore through the endosome membrane. The latter is the most likely. In either case, the viral RNA passes into cell cytoplasm.
What of these models is most similar to the uncoating mechanism used by (i) influenza A virus, and (ii) minor-group rhinoviruses
(i) fusion of the two membranes
(ii) opening of the channel through injection
Sindbis virus RNA synthesis requires the viral P1234 polyprotein. Describe the sequence of proteolytic cleavage events required to process P1234, and indicate which RNA species can be synthesize by each of the enzyme complexes created during the process.
- sequence of cleavage events is first, between sP3 and nsP4, creating P123 and nsP4. Can synthesize genomic (49S) (-)ssRNA
- cleavage between nsP1 and nsP2, creating sP1, P23, and nsP4. can synthesize genomic (49S) (-)sRNA and (+)sRNA
- final cleavage between nsP2 and nsP3, creating nsP1, nsP2, nsP3, and nsP4. Can synthesize genomic (49S) (+)ssRNA and subgenomic (26S) (+)ssRNA
What protease carries out these cleavage events?
nsP2
What type of proteases carry out the site-specific cleavage of viral polyproteins that occurs in (i) P-spaces, and (ii) E-spaces? (2 points). Name one specific protease of each type that is required during the infection cycle of Sindbis virus. (2 points).
P spaces= viral encoded enzymes - protease C
E spaces= host encoded enzymes - signalase
What are two specific ways in which poliovirus reprograms (‘hijacks’) infected host cells? (2 points). Which stage of the cellular infection cycle is facilitated by each?
- gene expression -. Cap binding protein inactivated by viral proteases. Blinding the ribosomes to only translate the viral genome. Translation of most mRNAs is blocked off.
- genome replication - vesicles fusion to cis-Golgi inhibited. Back up a “lake” of vesicles to add the replicase complexes. Creates more membrane area for replication to occur.
Briefly describe the events that occur during translation of the poliovirus genome. Begin your description when the ribosome first interacts with the RNA, and conclude after the ribosome reaches the termination codon at the end of the single ORF.
- Ribosome binds to RLP and initiates translation at nearby AUG codon of single, large ORF
- P1-2A polyprotein in fragment translated
- Protease 2A co-translationally cleaves nascent polyprotein to release P1
- Translation of polyprotein continues until P2-3ABC fragment completed.
- Protease 3C co-translationally cleaves to release P2
- Translation to generate P3
- eventually will reach termination codon
To what family and genus do influenza B virus belong?
family - Orthomyxoviridae
genus - INFLUENZAVIRUS B