Structure and Chemical composition of viruses Flashcards
What is the smallest virus?
Porcine circovirus type 1
What is the largest virus of animals, humans and birds?
Poxvirus (200nm diameter and 300 nm in length)
Pleomorphism
The ability of some viruses to alter their shape or size
What shape is Ebolavirus?
Filament- shaped
What virus is Filament- shaped?
Ebolavirus
What shape is Rabies virus?
Bullet-shaped
What virus is bullet shaped?
Rabies virus
What shape is a bacteriophage?
Tadpole- shaped
What virus is tadpole- shaped?
bacteriophage
What shape is Tobacco Mosaic Virus?
Rod- shaped
What virus is rod- shaped?
Tobacco Mosaic Virus
What shape is poxvirus?
Brick- shaped
What virus is brick shaped?
Poxvirus
What shape is Rotavirus?
Spherical
What virus is spherical in shape?
Rotavirus
What are the common methods used to determine morphology?
there are 4
- Electron Microscopy (EM)
- Cryo- Electron Microscopy (Cryo- EM)
- X-ray Crystallographic Method
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
Capsid
The protein shell of a virus that encases/ ENVELOPES the VIRAL nucleic acid or GENOME.
What is the capsid made up of?
Capsomeres, held together by NON- covalent bonds.
Capsomere
the basic unit protein in the capsid of a virus
How many capsids do MOST viruses have? Is there an exception to the rule?
Most viruses have ONE CAPSID!
EXCEPT: REOVIRUSES: which have a double layered capsid.
Nucleocapsid = _______ + _________
Nucleocapsid = Capsid + Viral Nucleic Acid (DNA or RNA) / Genome
What 4 components make up a virus?
- DNA or RNA genes
- Capsid
- Envelope, a bubble of fat (note: not all viruses have an envelope)
- Molecules of protein
Helical Symmetry
Nucleocapsids with helical symmetry have capsomeres and nucleic acid wound together to form a helical or spiral tube.
In all animal viruses, the ___A.____ nucleocapsid is enclosed within a _____B._______ envelope.
A. Helical
B. Lipoprotein
Naked helical nucleocapsids are common among what type of viruses?
Plant viruses! (example: Tobacco Mosaic Virus)
Tobacco Mosaic Virus ( a plant virus) has what type of nucleocapsid?
Naked helical nucleocapsid
What types of capsomeres are present in the Icosahedral/ Cubic capsid?
- Pentagonal capsomers, at the vertices (Pentons)
2. Hexagonal capsomers, making up the facets (Hexons)
Triangulation Number (T- number)
Describes the relationship between the number of pentagons and hexagons of the icosahedron.
What is the formula for the Triangulation number?
T= h^2 (= h squared) + (h x k) + k^2 (= k squared)
h and k are the distances between the successive pentagons on the virus surface for each axis.