P.K.V

Question 1

SARS-CoV-2 main targets

Answer 1

Lungs and throat

Question 2

SARS-CoV-2

Answer 2

Large for viruses that use RNA to replicate—125nm in diameter
Largest genome of all RNA viruses 30,000 genetic bases
(3x HIV& hepatitis C, 2x influenza
One of few RNA virus w/ Genetic proofreading mechanisms
(Keep virus from accumulating mutations that could weaken it)
Common antivirals such as ribavirin (weaken viruses by inducing mutations- proofreader tarts this)
Frequently recombine (swapping chunks of their RNA w/ other coronavirus)
Receptor-binding domain (central to success in entering in human cells)
Can start in throat or nose and affect their or go to lungs and debilitate the organ

Question 3

Influenza

Answer 3

Mutates 3x more often than covid does (enables it to evolve quickly and sidestep vaccines

Question 4

Recombination between coronavirus

Answer 4

When two distant coronavirus relatives end up in the same cell (can lead to good Verizon’s that infect new cell types and jump to other species)

Happens often in bats (carry 61 viruses known to infect humans

Question 5

Coronavirus strains

Answer 5

Many strains, 7 infect humans
4 cause common colds (easily attack respiratory tract)
2 OC43 & HKU1 came from rodents
2 229E & NL63 came from bats

3 cause severe diseases
SARS-CoV (cause of SARS) (intermediary civet cats sold in live-animal markets in china)
MERS-CoV (cause of middle east respiratory syndrome)
SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV came from bats (infect lungs more easily)
SARS-CoV-2 (shares 96% genetic material with a virus found in a bat in a cave in yunnan, china) can infect lungs and throat well

Question 6

Coronavirus in animals

Answer 6

Bats have many branches of the virus

Panglions carry same deadly receptor binding domain as SARS-CoV-2

Question 7

How SARS-CoV-2 affect the body

Answer 7

Infects and destroys the alveoli (tiny sacs in the lungs that shuttle oxygen into bloodstream)
Can trigger cytokine storm (excessive immune response)
Cna be carried in the blood and infect various organs and tissue
Breaches protective membrane using spike proteins
ACE2 (most abundant in alveoli and small intestine)
Furin enzyme (or TMPRSS2) from host to cut spike protein (many in respiratory tract) also used by HIV, flu, dengue, ebola
Proofreading mechanisms to not mutate quickly (efficient genetic repair mechanism)
OC43 covid old
229E covid old