Virology Flashcards
What was the first virus discovered?
Tobacco mosaic virus
How big are viruses?
20-2400nm
What do viruses have to contain?
Protein and nucleic acid
What is the eclipse phase?
A phase of replication where you find no infectious virus at all
What are the smallest viruses?
Picornaviruses
E.g. FMDV, Rhinovirus, Hep A, Poliovirus
20-30nm
What are the largest viruses?
Mimiviruses
700-2400nm
What is a virion?
The virus particle
What is the genome?
A nucleic acid
What is the protein shell of a virus called? What is its function?
Capsid
Protects nucleic acid from extracellular environment
Delivers the virus genome from one susceptible cell to another
What are capsomers?
The repeating protein subunit that makes up capsids
Symmetry is helical or icosahedral
What is the lipid membrane of viruses called? How does the virus acquire it?
The envelope
From the host cell, nucleocapsid buds off through the plasma membrane
What are non-structural proteins?
Virus encoded proteins expressed from within the infected host cell but not incorporated into the virion
What is the structure of tobacco mosaic virus?
Helical capsid, no envelope
What is the structure of polio virus?
Icosahedral capsid, no envelope
What is the structure of flu virus?
Helical capsid, envelope
What is the structure of HSV?
Icosahedral capsid, envelope
What are the different types of virus genome?
DNA or RNA
linear or circular
monopartite or segmented (e.g. flu)
ds or ss
What are the two types of ssRNA genome?
Positive strand = mRNA so can be directly translated
Negative strand = complementary to mRNA, must be transcribed before translated
Discuss poliovirus
Picornavirus Icosahedral capsid 20-30nm No envelope 7.5kb + ssRNA 1 segment Causative agent of poliomyelitis
Discuss measles virus
Paramyxoviridae Helical capsid Envelope Pleomorphic 150nm 15.9kb Virion transcriptase - ssNRA 1 segment
Discuss Influenza A virus
Orthomyxoviridae Helical capsid and envelope 100nm 13.6kb -ve ss RNA 8 segments Causes influenza in man, birds and horses
Discuss rotavirus
Reoviridae Icosahedral virion 60-80nm No envelope 11 RNA segments 18.5kbp ds RNA Causes acute infantile gastroenteritis Transcriptase
Discuss HIV
Retroviridae - subfamily lentiviridae 110nm capsid with envelope 10kbp \+ ss RNA with DNA intermediate 1 diploid segment Virion transcriptase Causes AIDS gp120, gp41 p18 p24 RNA and RT contains a tRNA within the virion to prime RT to make the dsDNA to be incorporated into the host cell genome
Discuss hepatitis B virus and its structure
Hepadnaviridae
Icosahedral capsid
Envelope
42nm
3.2kbp
Partially dsDNA with RNA intermediate
1 circular segment
Causes acute and chronic hepatitis, hepatocellular carcinoma
Virions called Dane particles (infectious)
Also smaller 22nm particles - lipoprotein complexes containing lipid membrane and virus surface protein HBsAg - can also be filamentous
Discuss parvovirus
Parvovirus Icosahedral virion 20nm No envelope 5kbp ssDNA 1 segment
Discuss HSV
Herpesviridae Icosahedral capsid 120nm Envelope 152kb dsDNA 1 segment Causes cold sores (type 1), genital herpes (type 2)
How do viruses maximise their coding potential
- Densely packed genes
- Small intergenic spaces with few non-coding spaces
- Overlapping reading frames with use of same nucleic acid to code for more than 1 protein (examples where each of 3 reading frames are used)
- RNA splicing
How much genetic material codes for a protein?
1kb = 1 midsized protein (333aa)
What is the limitation of the size of an RNA genome?
RNA polymerases are v error prone
Problem if genome >20kb
The biggest are >30kb, but these RNA pol have proof reading activity
What are viridae?
Families
What are virinae?
Subfamilies
How are viruses classified?
Viridae, Virinae, Genera, Species, Strain
Discuss vaccinia
Poxviridae Complex capsid 200x350nm Envelope 200kb Virion transcriptase Vaccine against smallpox dsDNA
Why would you use protein to classify a virus?
Protein folds are more conserved in viruses than the RNA, so can use them to classify
Discuss rubella virus
Togavirus Icosahedral capsid 40-80nm Envelope 11kb \+ ssRNA Causes German measles 9congenital abnormality)
Discuss variola virus
Poxviridae Complex capsid 200 x 350 nm dsDNA Envelope 200kbp Virion transcriptase Causes smallpox
Discuss varicella-zoster virus
Herpesviridae Icosahedral capsid 120nm Envelope 150kbp Causes chicken pox and shingles
What are arboviruses?
Viruses transmitted by biting insects (arthropod borne virus)
How do you study viruses?
- EM - structure and concentration
- PCR - measure genome quantity
- Haemagglutination - crude measure of concentration
- Immunological evidence of infection (increase in Ab or TCell response)
- Plaque assay
How do you quantify virus concentration?
- EM Add suspension of small beads of known concentration to virus preparation
Work out ratio of viruses to beads under EM
Can work out conc
Measure of total virus particles, not how many are infectious - PCR
- Haemagglutination - mix different concs virus with standard number of RBCs, work out max dilution of virus that agglutinates the erythrocytes
How do you quantify virus infectivity?
Plaque assay - dilution series of virus, apply to lawns of susceptible cells, where enters a cell, virus replicates and releases new virions, infect and replicate in surrounding cells, eventually creates a plaque. 1 plaque = 1 original infectious virus particle
How do you express infectious virus titre?
PFU/mL
Up to 10^9/10^10pfu/mL
What does the particle/pfu ratio show?
Ratio of infective virions to total number of virions
Why can’t you titrate HBV with a plaque assay?
Cannot be grown in culture
What are the phases of the viral lifecycle?
- Adsorption and penetration
- Eclipse
- Assembly and release
What is the latent period?
The time taken to form new particles from the time of binding and penetration
What is the mean burst size?
The average yield of virus particles per cell (so subtract original pfu)
How does HIV enter cells?
Gp120 binds to CD4 and a chemokine co-receptor - only on T cells, mphage, dendritic cells, so limited tissue tropism
Binding –> conformational change in gp120/gp41
Virus enveloped fuses with plasma membrane
How does influenza enter cells?
HA binds to cell surface sialic acid - on almost all cell surfaces so wide tissue tropism
Endocytosed
M2 acidifies endosome
Reduced pH causes conformational change in HA so viral envelope drawn close to vesicle membrane
Hydrophobic amino acid sequence in HA inserted into vesicle membrane simultaneously, disrupts membrane
Promotes fusion
How does EBV enter cells?
GP340 binds to complement receptor CD21
What are neutralising antibodies?
Antibodies against receptor binding proteins that inactivate the virus by blocking infection
How is membrane fusion of enveloped viruses achieved?
Conformational change in the receptor-binding protein
How do non-enveloped viruses penetrate cells?
- Bind to receptor
- Conformational change of virus disrupts host membrane
- Transfer of virus nucleic acid or entire capsid into cell
Where do nucleic acid polymerases bind?
Origin of replication
What are the minimum protein requirements of a virus?
- A virus-specific nucleic acid polymerase, or a protein to adapt a host one
- Capsid proteins
Which virus class are dsRNA –> mRNA?
Rotavirus
Which virus class are - ssRNA –> mRNA?
Orthomyxovirus e.g. Influenza A
Paramyxovirus e.g. Measles virus
Rhabdovirus e.g. Rabies virus
Filoviridae e.g. Ebola, Marburg
Which virus classes are +ssRNA so can be translated directly?
Picornavirus e.g. poliovirus, FMDV, Hep A Alphavirus Flavivirus e.g. Dengue virus Coronavirus Togaviridae e.g. Rubella virus
Which virus class are + ssRNA but are converted to dsDNA before mRNA?
Retroviruses e.g. HIV
Which virus class are dsDNA that are transcribed directly to mRNA?
Herpesvirus
Poxvirus e.g. variolavirus
Adenovirus
Papovavirus
Which virus class are ssDNA that are then converted to dsDNA and then mRNA?
Parvoviruses (give enteritis)
What types of genomes utilise RNA-dependent RNA polymerases?
dsRNA and -ssRNA (measles, rabies, influenza)
Discuss rabies
Rhabdoviridae Helical capsid and envelope Bullet-shape 200x80nm 10kb Virion transcriptase -ve ssRNA
For which types of genome are purified virus RNA not infectious?
dsRNA
-ve ssRNA
Where does influenza virus replicate?
Nucleus
Discuss FMDV
Picornaviridae Icosahedral capsid 20-30nm No envelope 7.5kbp \+ssRNA
Which genomes are infectious if purified and infected?
+ssRNA e.g. picornaviridae, flaviviruses, togaviruses, calciviridae
dsDNA (uses host DNA dep RNA pol II) EXCEPT poxviruses
What is the provirus?
When the dsDNA intermediate of a retrovirus (+ssRNA) is incorporated into the host genome
Means that it needs host DNA-dep RNA pol II
Which types of virus genome use host DNA dep RNA Pol II?
Retroviruses (+ssRNA) dsDNA viruses (adenovirus, herpesvirus, papillomavirus)
How do poxviruses replicate?
In the cytoplasm
dsDNA tho
Carry their own enzymes (DNA-dep RNA pol, and capping and polyadenylating enzymes)
So purified virus not infectious
How do parvoviruses replicate?
ssDNA –> dsDNA –> mRNA
How do hepadnaviruses replicate?
dsDNA –> RNA intermediate (RT) –> DNA
What are the levels of control of viral gene expression?
- Temporal
- Quantative
- Polyprotein processing - post-translational cleavage of single giant polypeptide into several smaller functional peptides
- RNA splicing
Which types of virus use polyprotein processing?
+ssRNA e.g. picornaviruses like polio
Retroviruses e.g. HIV +ssRNA
What do retroviruses use splicing for?
To put the coding region for their protein at the 5’ end of the mRNA so it is encountered first as it scans the mRNA from the 5’ end
What is the order of the genes in the HIV genome and what do they do?
gag = capsid pol = RT (RNA dep DNA po and integrasel) env = envelope gp160 --> cleaved to gp120 and gp41
What is latent infection?
When a virus infects a cell but no viral multiplication occurs, but the cell has the potential to produce progeny - a quiescent state.
E.g retroviruses and herpesviruses
How much of our DNA is from retroviruses and retrotransposons?
8%
How does herpes virus and retrovirus genetic information exist in the latent state?
HIV - in provirus integrated into the cell’s DNA
Herpes - as episome (extrachromosomal circular molecule in nucleus)
What modifications can a virus make to its host cell?
- Subversion of cellular metabolism
- Stimulation of biochemistry - kick into cell cycle
- Expression of viral enzymes
- Cell membrane changes
- Cytopathic effect
- Evasion of immunity
- Non-lytic infection (latency)
- Cell transformation
How does poliovirus shut off host protein synthesis?
Encode a protease that cleaves part of cap binding complex that recognises methylated 5’-cap of host mRNA (after it binds, ribosome binds).
Poliovirus has a secondary structure near 5’ site (IRES internal ribosome entry site) that ribosomes can bind to without the cap binding complex
How do poxviruses shut off host protein synthesis?
Cleave off 5’ cap from virus and cellular mRNA, but viral RNA is much more abundant so predominate
Also helps virus swap from early to late virus gene expression as early mRNAs are destroyed when their synthesis stops
What are the gene classes for poxviruses?
Early, intermediate, late
What are the gene classes for herpesviruses?
Immediate early, delayed early, late
Discuss polyomavirus/simian virus 40 SV40
Papovaviridae Icosahedral capsid 45-55nm No envelope 5-8kbp dsDNA Causes tumours in rodents experimentally
Discuss papillomavirus
Papovaviridae Icosahedral capsid 45-55nm No envelope 5-8kbp Human and animal warts, cervical carcinoma
How do DNA viruses stimulate the cell into cycle?
Papovaviridae e.g. SV40 releases SV40T antigen stimulates the cell into cycle
Poxviruses - vaccinia expresses its own EGF that stimulates neighbouring cells to divide, making them ideal infection targets. Also induces a hypoxic response
How do pox and herpesviruses alter nucleotide metabolism?
Encode enzymes of this sort, e.g. thymidine kinase (T –> TMP), thymidylate kinase (TMP–> TDP) and ribonucleotide reductase (ribonucleotides –> deoxyribonucleotides)
What are non-essential enzymes?
Enzymes that are not required to grow in resting cells (the virus is just avirulent)
How does measles virus alter the host membrane?
Induces fusion of host cell with surrounding uninfected cells so virus can spread without becoming extracellular (a cell-associated virus)
What is the cytopathic effect?
Morphological changes induced in virally infected cells
Can be induced by changes in cytoskeleton, taken over to help move around virus particles intracellularly
What cytopathic effect helps identify rabies virus?
Negri bodies in Purkinje cells in cerebellum
What cytopathic effect helps identify human CMV?
Nuclear inclusion bodies that resemble owl eyes
What cytopathic effect helps identify poxviruses?
Cytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion bodies
Which types of RNA viruses can be non-lytic?
Some enveloped RNA viruses including retroviruses
What does transformation mean?
Viruses changing cells so that they exhibit uncontrolled growth, fail to respond to contact inhibition and are very much like malignant cells
How do viruses cause cancer?
- Transformation by DNA viruses e.g. papilloma viruses. Induce cell proliferation (wart) before synthesis of new virus takes place. Occasionally virus replication cycle fails but stimulation continues and the cell continues to divide - can lead to cervical carcinoma
- Transformation by retroviruses - make a provirus.
a) Capture of oncogenes. Can occasionally acquire a host gene during replication. The resultant virus will transform cells it infects in future as the oncogene will be expressed in v high levels without regulation. E.g Rous sarcoma virus (transformed avian retrovirus)
b) Integration dysregulating cell-division
If provirus integrated into a regulatory region, either leads to oncogene expression, or disrupts a tumour suppressor. Rare
What is rous sarcoma virus?
Tranformed avian flu
Induces sarcomas in chickens
Acquired src (a tyrosine kinase) in the env region.
an ‘acute transforming retrovirus’
What are helper viruses?
Acute transforming cells often lose some of their own DNA
Thus replication defective
Need co-infection by another helper virus to help replicate
e.g. Rous sarcoma requires a helper virus to provide an envelope protein
Name some viruses that enter by the oropharynx
HSV
HCMV
EBV