Viroids and Virophages Flashcards
Can viruses get sick? Why or why not?
Yes, they can! Virophages are the viruses or viruses and can infect and harm the replication of other viruses.
Define viroids and provide a brief description.
Viroids are virus like circular replicating RNAs of which there are two families. They replicated by rolling circle.
What are transpovirons?
Linear plasmids which depend on giant viruses to replicate. Archael virus plasmid pSSVx requires SSV1/2.
Name an important human pathogen that is a satellite virus. Provide a short description.
HDV which is a satellite virus of HBV. Can cause hepatitis and cancer. Uses HBV envelope proteins for budding and HDV has delta antigens big and small to protect RNA genome. Has S, M, L, gps on envelope. Single ORF. Circular ssRNA.
What is Sputnik virus and give a brief description?
First virophage described. dsDNA which encodes own capsid proteins and integrase. Infects mimivirus.
Describe Giant DNA helper viruses.
More complex than many bacteria and comparable in size. Mimi and mama viruses are largest known. Mama is bigger than Mimi. Infects amoeboid cells and replicates in cytoplasm.
Describe Mimivirus.
Originally Bradfordcoccus and was mistaken as G+ bacteria in cooling tower of UK.
How many lineages of virophages are there?
3
Why do people think transpovirons and virophages may have common ancestry?
They share similar genomes.
Where do virophages replicate?
Large viral factories of large DNA viruses.
What happens to mimivirus without virophages?
Genome reduced and becomes bald. Becomes resistant to virophage.
Are virophages emerging pathogens?
They could be. People have had antibodies to the proteins in blood after travels.
