Virus Classification, Structure & Replication Flashcards
how is a virus different from a bacterium?
- virus: uses host machinery to make copies of viral DNA/RNA, smaller
- bacteria: asexual fission reproduction, larger
how is a virus different than a toxin?
a virus can make copies of its DNA/RNA a toxin is secreted and cannot replicate
how were viruses discovered based on size?
dimitri ivanofsky showed that Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) was able to pass through a filter while bacteria could not (1892)
first electron micrograph of TMV in 1939
how were viruses discovered based on growth?
martinus beijerinck showed that the titer of TMV increased after infecting a plant, proving TMV was not a toxin (1898)
how were bacteriophages (bacteria viruses) discovered?
- discovered by frederick w. twort (1915) while trying to grow vaccina virus
- bacteriophage were instrumental in developing the field of virology and expanding the field of biology
how were animal viruses discovered?
- foot and mouth disease (first animal virus) discovered (1898)
- yellow fever virus (first human virus) discovered in 1901
describe general characteristic of viruses.
- smaller than bacteria, fungus, and other microorganisms
- replicate when provided a host
- viruses are obligate intracellular pathogens
- viruses are not autpoietic
- means “poison” in greek
- ubiquitous in nature
describe the theory of cellular virus origin.
proposes that viruses were once cellular components but over time they evolved separately
describe the theory of autopoietic virus origin.
proposes that viruses, once autopoietic entities, became dependent on cells for replication
name the attributes for virus classification
- virus particle structure
- genome
- replication features
- serology
- stability
what is meant by virus particle structure?
- composition
- shape
- size
- presence of nucleocapsid
- presence of envelopes
what is a nucleocapsid?
RNA or DNA in a core that is protected by a protein coat (capsid)
virus is defined by nucleocapsid structure
- helical
- pleomorphic
- icosahedral
what is a nucleocapsid comprised of?
repeating protein subunits called capsomeres
what is a viral envelope?
-virus-modified cellular membranes acquired upon exit from host
what renders enveloped viruses noninfectious?
exposure to lipid solvents in the lab (alcohol, ether, acetone, Freon)
can enveloped viruses have nucleocapsids?
yes, enveloped viruses may have nucleocapsids with different structures
what is the largest virus?
poxviridae
what is the smallest virus?
parvoviridae and circoviridae
describe virus composition
- DNA: ds or ss
- RNA: ds or ss
- ss: plus sense (+)ssRNA, minus sense (-)ssRNA, or ambisense (bidirectional + and - sense)
how is plus sense ssRNA used for translation?
directly
how is minus sense ssRNA used for translation?
needs to have a plus sense made of it before can cause translation protein from ribosome
how are viruses classified based on genome structure?
- linear
- circular
- segmented
- diploid
T/F: viruses are classified by gene arrangement
T
what is the ssDNA hairpin viral replication?
Rolling hairpin replicating genomes are single strand DNA with terminal hairpin structures. Upon infection, the 3’ hairpin serves as primer for host reparation enzymes to convert viral ssDNA into dsDNA form used both for transcription and replication.
what is the dsDNA rolling circle viral replication?
- DNA replication begins at specific locations in the genome, called “origins”. A viral endonuclease creates a nick in the origin of replication.
- The replication machinery assembles with the DNA polymerase on the 3’ extremity.
- The DNA polymerase and associated factors begins to proceed to a strand displacement synthesis, producing a concatemer linear single stranded DNA with one genome copy per turn of replication. On the concatemer strand, Okazaki fragments are elongated after sequencial RNA primer synthesis by the primase, theus turning it into dsDNA.
The concatemer strand RNA primer are removed and okazaki fragments ligated. - The replication forks go on and produces a long linear concatemer which will be processed into linear genomes and encapsidated.
describe (+)ssRNA replication
- positive strand enters membraneous vesicle in REG of double membrane vesicles
- 3’->5’ replication to dsRNA form
- protein synthesis
describe (-)ssRNA replication
- minus strand has a leader sequence where Pol complex binds
- creates antigenome positive strands simultaneously
- Pol complex binds to + stand trailer sequence and creates complement - strands simultaneoulsy
what advantage comes with a large genome?
resistance can package more “tools”/proteins
what disadvantages come with a large genome?
more material thru, requires more nutrients, easier to see, so takes longer to replicate
what do most DNA viruses need that RNA viruses do not?
for dsDNA requires access to a nucleus
what do RNA viruses need that DNA viruses do not?
need an RNA dependent RNA transcriptase
what are the steps of virus replication?
- attachment
- entry
- transcription
- translation
- replication
- assembly
- release
what happens in viral attachment?
-binding of a virus to a cellular receptor