Viruses

Question 1

Describe a bacteriophage:

Answer 1

Any one of a number of viruses that infect bacteria

Question 2

What is the structure of bacteriophages?

Answer 2

Consists of an outer protein capsid enclosing genetic material

Question 3

What is the difference between bacteriophage and bacteria?

Answer 3

Bacteriophages are much smaller than the bacteria they destroy

Question 4

How does a bacteriophage function?

Answer 4

Inside host cells - viral DNA codes for production of new protein & protein coats
DNA replicates to make copies
Packaged within protein coats
new viruses are formed
Bacterial cell is destroyed as it ruptures and many new viruses are formed

Question 5

What does HIV stand for?

Answer 5

Human Immunodeficiency Disease

Question 6

What family does HIV belong to?

Answer 6

Retrovirus

Question 7

What disease will HIV lead to?

Answer 7

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome - immune system begins to fail - life-threatening opportunist infections

Question 8

How does HIV occur?

Answer 8

Transfer of blood or bodily fluids

Question 9

What are retroviruses?

Answer 9

Viruses where the viral RNA is used as a template to make DNA

Question 10

What does the enzyme reverse transcriptase do?

Answer 10

Catalyses the synthesis of DNA from RNA

Question 11

What are 3 differences between bacteriophages and HIV?

Answer 11

Bacteriophages normally contain DNA while HIV contains RNA
HIV contains reverse transcriptase whereas bacteriophages contain none
Glycoproteins are present in HIV and not phages