Viruses Flashcards
Most abundant microbes on earth
Virus
What does it mean that a virus is an “obligate intracellular parasite”
Must exist within a cell
What kinds of cells do viruses infect
Infect all kinds of cells (prokaryotes and eukaryotes)
Specific, eukaryote virus vs prokaryote virus
What kind of cells do viruses have
Acellular (not all the characteristics of the cell) or subcellular (missing stuff that constitutes thecell entities
Why are viruses not considered living
Acellular and cannot reproduce independantly
Size of virus
Extremely small: 30nm (poliovirus) to 300nm (vaccinia virus) in diameter
Structure of virus
Outside: protein coat (capsid)
Some have lipd envolope (envolope virus
No evnolpe = naked virus
Small genomes, very few genes (3-100s)
DNA or RNA (NEVER BOTH)
Few proteins, NO ribosomes or ATP-generating mechanism
Compare viruses and bacteria
Viruses do not contain both RNA and DNA
Bacteria does
Viruses are not sensitive to antibiotics while bacteria are
Viruses are sensitive to interferons
Capsid
protein coat that enclose and protect genetic material
Some of have external lipid covering, some do not
Capsid made from identical subunits called capsomers
Viruses classified into several morphological types
Helical
Polyhedral
Complex
Envoloped
Helical viruses
Long rods, cylindrical capsid; rigid OR flexible
DNA/RNA within a hollow, cylindrical capsid (Helical structure_
Ex. Ebola or rabies
Polyhedral viruses
Many anim, plant and bacteria viruses tend to be this type
Icosahedron shape: 20 trianglualr aces and 12 corners
Each face forms and equilateral triangle
Ex. Adenovirus, poliovirus
Complex viruses
Complicated structures (i.e. bacteriophage)
Capsid head is polyhedral and the tail sheath is helical
Other structures such as tail fibers (proteins) and pin (for injecting DNA)
Ghost virus: Have already injected DNA into bacterial cell
Are Helical, polyhedral, and complex viruses normally naked or enveloped?
Most are naked
Envoloped virus
Envolope: composed of lipids, proteins and carbohydrates
Derived from host
May be covered with spikes
Glycoproteins fro attachment
Ex.
SARS Coronavirus
Influenza virus
Herpesvirus
How do viruses avoid recognition
Viruses change spike composition to avoid antibody recognition
Naked viruses (plus examples)
No lipid coat outside the capsid
Ex. Rhinovirus
Polivirus
Norwalk
Where do viruses gr ow
Grow in living cells
Bacteriophages from plaques on a lawn of uninfected bacteria
Animal viruses are grown in living animals, embryonic eggs, cell cultures etc.
What is the viruses growth cycle called
One-step growth curve
Eclipse period:
The initial period following the virus entering a host, where the viruses enter the host cells, and so none are detected in circulation
After the eclipse, virions are released from the host cell
Known as the one-step growth curve
Two major cycles of viral replication
Lytic cycle (Reproduction of more viruses) Transcription and translation.
Lysogenic cycle (incorporation of DNA into cell DNA)
Viral DNA incorporated into cell genome
6 steps of viral reproduction
Attatchement
Penetration
Transcription (DNA is transcribed into RNA and used to make proteins from ribosomes)
Biosynthesis (Viral components (proteins) are assembled)
Maturation
Lysis
How do regular bacterial cells produce sickness
Only cells that have picked up extra genes can produce sickness
Lytic cycle
Attatchment and penetration
Biosynthesis, beginning with replication or transcription and translation
Synthesising proteins and assembly into viral particles
Cell lyses and releases viruses
Lysogeny cycle
Cell can continue it’s life indefinitely
Incorpration of phage DNA into bacteria genome = phage conversion, therefore, host acquirees new properties
Some pathogenic E. coli have picked up extra genes from viruses
Diphtheria toxin corynebacterium diphtheria
Many pathogenic bacteria are innocent, but they have been hijacked by viruses to make them pathogenic
Multiplication of animal viruses
Attatchment: Attachment to cell membrane
Penetration: endocytosis (Eukaryote grabs whole viral particle and internalizes it) or fusion
Uncoating: Require viral or host enzymes to break up coat on outside to expose genome
Biosynthesis: The Genome of virus can be used by animal cells to make mRNA, proteins etc. using nucleic acid and oriteinb synthesis
Maturation: Mucleic acid and capsid asembly
Release: Budding (envoloped viruses) or rupture(non-envoloped viruses)
Multiplication of animal viruses
ways a virus can enter a host cell
Endocytosis or fusion for animal viruses
DNA injection by bacteriophages
What is the purpose of encoating the virus once within the cell?
To release genetic material in the case of animal cells
Unneccessary in bacteria cells
What is a part of the biosynthesis stage
Proteins are made based on the mRNA code
What occurs in the maturation stage
Involves the assembly of new viral particles (packaging the DNA/RNA into protein coat)
Two ways that the “release phase” can occur
Budding (if it is an envolope virus) or lysis for naked viruses
Host cell is always lysed in bacteria
Where do the steps of replication occur in bacteria and animal cells
Replication, and transcription takes place in nucleus and translation (mRNA) occurs in the cytoplasm
ALL of these 3 occur in cytoplasm in the bacteria cells
Storage form of genetic info is always
DNA
How are transcription, translation and protein synthesis connected
Viral DNA (Genetic code) transcribed to mRNA (same language, but placed in different form) (Code in transit) Translated to protein by ribosomes (performs functions nd activities and structural support for the cell.\
Is replication connected to transcription/translation
An independent event, not needed for transcription
What is the virus objective in invading a host cell
Multiplication
What enzyme is involved in DNA replication?
DNA dependent DNA polymerase
What is transcription, and what enzyme is involved?
Transcription is the copying of one DNA strand into mRNA, done my DNA dependent RNA Polymerase
What is translation, and which organelle is involved?
mRNA moved to nucleus, ribosomes read info on mRNA, translate to the language of proteins, and then make the proteins (protein synthesis)
When does translation begin in bacteria cells?
Even before mRNA has been completely formed, Ribosomes can begin transcription bc there is no nucleus separation