Viruses Flashcards
describe the DEFINITION OF LIFE and how VIRUSES play into said definition?
- can be INERT OUTSIDE A HOST–have VIRAL NUCLEIC ACIDS that ARE ACTIVE
- does not respire
- does not respond to stimuli
- does not grow
BUT THEY CAN REPRODUCE and ADAPT TO NEW HOSTS
- can begin to DISPLAY THE MOST ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES OF A LIVING THING through replication
- can INFECT A HOST
definition of VIRUSES
- ACELLULAR ORGANISMS whose GENOMES consist of NUCLEIC ACIDS
- can be seen in DNA or RNA
- use and replicate INSIDE HOST CELLS by using HOST METABOLIC MACHINERY
what do VIRUSES NOT DO? (7)
- they CANNOT CARRY OUT METABOLIC ACTIVITY
- they CANNOT REPRODUCE INDEPENDENTLY
- they DO NOT HAVE MEMBRANE BOUND ORGANELLES
- NO CELLULAR MEMBRANE
- they DO NOT GROW IN SIZE OR RESPOND to their DIRECT ENVIRONMENT
- they DO NOT FOLLOW THE CENTRAL DOGMA
the more PROPER DEFINITION OF A VIRUS
- an INFECTIVE AGENT CONSISTING OF NUCLEIC ACIDS that is surrounded by a PROTEIN COAT and is only CAPABLE OF REPLICATION within the LIVING CELLS of BACTERIA, ANIMALS, or PLANTS
describe the TYPICAL VIRUS and its INTRACELLULAR/EXTRACELLULAR STATES
- they are SUB MICROSCOPIC–can only use ELECTRON MICROSCOPES to see them
- ACELLULAR (NO ORGANELLES)
[also have NUCLEIC ACIDS and CAPSID ENCLOSURES (protein coats)] - can be INFECTIOUS
INTRACELLULAR STATES:
- known as a VIRUS
EXTRACELLULAR STATES:
- known as a VIRION
describe the CHARACTERISTICS OF EXTRACELLULAR (VIRION) and INTRACELLULAR (VIRUS)
VIRION
- has a PROTEIN COAT (CAPSID)
- has RECOGNITION for HOST
- can have a PHOSPHOLIPID COVER (ENVELOPE)
VIRUS
- NO CAPSID PRESENT
- has REPLICATION STAGE
describe a VIRUS GENOME SIZE
- E. Coli GENOME around 4.5 - 5.5 million BP
- VIRUSES around 30,000 - 300,000 BP
describe the VIRAL GENOME
- can be DNA or RNA (BUT NEVER BOTH)
- can be SINGLE STRANDED (ss) or DOUBLE STRANDED (ds)
- can be MULTIPLE vs. SINGLE
ARRANGEMENT:
- can be either LINEAR OR CIRCULAR
describe DNA VIRUSES
- they are NON-SEGMENTED (all in ONE PIECE)
- can be LINEAR or CIRCULAR
- can be ds or ss
describe RNA VIRUSES
- can be NON SEGMENTED or SEGMENTED
- can be LINEAR or CIRCULAR
- can be ds or ss
- if SS; can be either - or + sense
describe RNA VIRUSES – (-) or (+) SENSE
SENSE (+)
- similar to mRNA–directs the PRODUCTION OF PROTEIN
SENSE (-)
- MUST BE CONVERTED INTO POSITIVE STRAND to PRODUCE PROTEINS
- use of a COMPLEMENTARY TO TEMPLATE STRAND
describe VIRAL SIZE
- can be only up to 10 nm to 400 nm
(nm - 10^-9 meter)
describe CAPSID and their function
- has REPETITIVE UNITS of ONE OR FEW PROTEINS that are known as CAPSOMERES
FUNCTIONS:
- PROTECTION
- ATTACHMENT and PENETRATION of HOST CELL
describe VIRAL MORPHOLOGY
HELICAL/TUBE:
- has LONG RODS
- RIGID and FLEXIBLE
POLYHEDRAL:
- most are ICOSAHEDRONS–POLYHEDROM with 20 triangular faces and 12 corners
COMPLEX:
- can be complicated
- has CAPSIDS with structures attached
- ex. BACTERIOPHAGE
- can also be ENVELOPED–surrounded by a membrane
describe a VIRUS ENVELOPE
- typically SPHERICAL
- can have ENVELOPED HELICAL VIRUSES
- can have ENVELOPED POLYHEDRAL
- has a SIMILAR COMP to a CELLULAR MEMBRANE
- often has VIRAL GLYCOPROTEINS to help AVOID the IMMUNE SYSTEM and secure host binding
- is the VIRAL PROTECTION MECHANISM
what can VIRUSES INFECT?
- ALL CELLULAR ORGANISMS can be INFECTED–ALL THREE DOMAINS
- ANIMALS, PLANTS, FUNGI, and BACTERIA
- can be EITHER be SPECIES SPECIFIC/NARROW HOST RANGE (ex. smallpox) or have a BROAD RANGE (ex. rabies)
- work by RECOGNITION OF SPECIFIC RECEPTOR SITE
how are VIRUSES CLASSIFIED/
- based on the SYMPTOMS OF DISEASES caused by the VIRUS
- use of INTERNAL COMMITTEE on TAXONOMY OF VIRUSES (ICTV)
- based on genomics and structure
definition of VIRAL SPECIES
- a GROUP OF VIRUSES that SHARE THE SAME GENETIC INFORMATION and HOST RANGE
describe the BASIC STAGES of VIRAL REPLICATION
- ATTACHMENT
locate and stick - ENTRY
getting in - SYNTHESIS
making pieces - ASSEMBLY
putting it together - LYSIS
getting out
what are the FIVE STEPS of the LYTIC CYCLE
- ATTACHMENT
- ENTRY
- SYNTHESIS
- ASSEMBLY
- LYSIS