Short answer part 1 Flashcards
What is the vital Role of Viruses in Evolution?
Infect cells and influence their genetic makeup
- 10% of the human genome consists of sequences that come from viruses
- 10 – 20% of bacterial DNA contains viral sequences
What are Obligate intracellular parasites:
Obligate= strictly
Intracellular= invade every cell in their host
It is the proper term for viruses.
-Cannot multiply unless they invade a specific host cell and instruct its genetic and metabolic machinery to make and release new viruses
What happens once viruses are inside of us?
They become the conductor. We stop doing stiff for ourselves and we start doing things for them. Viruses can only go away with drinking a lot of fluid and rest
General characteristics of viruses
- Obligatory intracellular parasites
-Require living host cells to multiply
-Contain DNA or RNA
-Contain a protein coat (capsid) that surrounds the genetic material
-No ribosomes, no machinery for protein synthesis
-No ATP-generating mechanism
Viruses contain which kind of hereditary material do viruses have?
- DNA or RNA, never both
What are two organelles that viruses do not contain?
Ribosomes (because there is no machinery for protein synthesis)
No ATP- generating mechanism
What are the smallest viruses called?
Parvovirus
20 nm
The largest viruses are called?
Mimivirus
450 nm
Do viruses resemble living cells and what is there appearance?
- No
- regular repeating subunits that form a Crystalline appearance
The structure contains only those parts needed to invade and control a host cell
- External coating
-Core containing one or more nucleic acid strains of DNA or RNA - Sometimes one or two enzymes
All viruses will have
Capsid and Nucleic acid molecules
Some viruses contain
Envelope- an additional layer
- Matrix proteins
-Enzymes
