Virology

Question 1

Are viruses bigger or smaller than bacteria?

Answer 1

Smaller

Question 2

What are virions?

Answer 2

Virus particles

Question 3

Why can’t virions grow or undergo division?

Answer 3

They lack genetic information

Question 4

What can’t virions do?

Answer 4

Generate metabolic energy or synthesise proteins

Question 5

What is an envelope on a virus?

Answer 5

A lipid bilayer

Question 6

What are the 2 classes of virions?

Answer 6

Enveloped and non-enveloped

Question 7

Components of non-enveloped virions

Answer 7

Capsomere
Nucleic acid
Capsid

Question 8

Components of enveloped virion

Answer 8

Envelope
Capsomere
Nucleic acid

Question 9

Role of capsid

Answer 9

Protects virion and allows it to bind to receptors using spikes

Question 10

What are the 2 classes of capsid?

Answer 10

Icosahedral and rod-like

Question 11

Structure of icosahedral capsids

Answer 11

60 faces formed by proteins

Question 12

Structure of rod-like capsids

Answer 12

Protein helix around nucleic acid

Question 13

Role of envelope

Answer 13

Allows fusion or exit with host’s cell wall

Question 14

What is lytic infection?

Answer 14

Host cell destruction causing virus release but normally cleared quickly

Question 15

What are viral infections?

Answer 15

Slow release of virus which is not cleared and so virus lasts long time

Question 16

What are latent infections?

Answer 16

Lack of gene expression so virus lasts a lifetime

Question 17

Where do latent infections occur?

Answer 17

Sensory and autonomic ganglia