Retroviruses Flashcards
what type of genome does the Rous sarcoma has?
RNA genome
what is Crick’ “Central Dogma”?
“once information has got into a protein it can’t get out again”
what is the Rous sarcoma virus replication dependent on?
DNA
what effects does Actinomycin D has on RNA synthesis?
Actinomycin D inhibits transcription and hence RNA synthesis
what inhibits virus growth?
Actinomycin D
what route did the effects of actinomycin D in sarcoma suggested?
RNA -> DNA -> RNA -> Protein
what is the provirus hypothesis?
the provirus of Rous sarcoma is a region of DNA homologous with viral RNA stably integrated into the molecule of cellular DNA in the nucleus
what is used to fight against HIV?
reverse transcriptase inhibitors
what is the viral RNA dependent on?
DNA polymerase
what does the reverse transcriptase do?
turns RNA back to DNA
what are the subfamilies in the family retroviridae?
orthoretrovirinae and spumaretrovirinae
how are retroviruses transmitted?
transmission typically via close contact (oronasal, sexual, blood-borne)
what protects the retrovirus?
a lipid envelope
why does the retrovirus have an envelope?
because it is susceptible to desiccation and detergents (that’s why the envelope has lipids)
what are the key features of retroviruses?
- two copies of RNA genome in each viral particle
- reverse transcribe RNA to DNA
- DNA “provirus” integrates into cellular DNA
- establish persistent infections
what does the “gag” gene encode in the retrovirus genome?
core structural proteins
what does the “pol” gene encode in the retrovirus genome?
- enzymes for replication
- reverse transcriptase
- integrase
- protease
what does the “env” gene encode in the retrovirus genome?
envelope glycoproteins
how do retroviruses infect cells?
by binding to a cell surface molecule called the receptor
- it binds to a nuclear pore and once it binds it starts replicating
what is necessary for a productive viral life cycle?
integration
where do simple retroviruses (e.g. FeLV) integrate?
in dividing cells
where can lentiviruses (e.g. HIV) integrate?
in non-dividing cells
what is integration?
the retroviral genome integrates into the cellular DNA and becomes part of the host
how much of the human genome is derived from ancestral retrovirus infections?
8.3%
what does integration do?
maximises the chance of viral transmission
which retroviruses integrate?
all
how does the retroviral assembly work?
- RNA makes a poliprotein (single long protein?
- sticks under membrane
- bends the membrane
- becomes more circular
- protein inserted in this new molecule
- has to be cut off from membrane
- forms an immature molecule
- then matures
where do some of the retroviruses assemble?
at the pericentriolar region of the nucleus, the fully assembled particles then migrates to the cell surface