Topic 5 - Viruses

Question 1

What is a virus

Answer 1

Complicated assemblies of molecules including proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and nucleic acids THEY ARE NOT CELLS OR LIVING THINGS!

Question 2

How do viruses reproduce

Answer 2

Infect living cells (host cells). However specific type of viruses will only affect specific cells

Question 3

What are the 2 life cycles of a virus

Answer 3

Lytic

Lysogenic

Question 4

Life cycle of a Lytic Cycle

Answer 4

Viral genetic material forms a circle→New viral genetic material and proteins are produced and assembled into new viruses→the bacterial cell lyses (breaks down and splits open the cell) releasing new viruses which cause disease and cell damage→viruse attach to a bacterial cell and infect it→virus injects genetic material into bacterium.

Question 5

Life cycle of lysogenic cylce

Answer 5

Viral genetic material forms a cirlce→viral genetic material inserts itself into the bacterial chromosome→Bacterium reproduces normally replicating the viral genetic material but the virus is dormant (inactive) →a trigger (presence of a chemical maybe) causes the viral genetic material to seperate from the bacterial chromosome and form a circle→this causes the lytic cycle to begin.