Viruses Flashcards
How small?
28nm-200nm
How many types of nucleic acid?
One
Types of nucleic acid available in viruses
ss DNA, ds DNA, ss RNA, ds RNA
DNA viruses have what nucleic acid type?
ssDNa or ds DNA
RNA viruses have what nucleic acid type?
ssRNA or dsRNA
Retroviruses have what type of nucleic acid?
ssRNA
Hepadnaviruses have what type of nucleic acid?
dsDNA
Describe the structure of a virus
Protein coat (Capsid) made up of capsomeres which are units of the icosahedron
Nucleic acid core - two geomatric forms - Icosadehral or helical
Can have envelopes
Can have tails
Envelopes on viruses can..
produce immune response
Describe icosohedral structure
20 triangular faces, 30 sides, 12 vertices
Capsomeres: pentons or hexons
Very efficient protein expression as little/no waste of space
What is a bacteriophage? What is their structure like? What are they used for?
Virus of bacteria - helical structure - used to study bacterial genetics
How to culture bacteriophage viruses?
1) pour mixture of molten top agar, bacterial cells and diluted phage suspension onto a solidified nutrient agar plate
2) Let it solidify
3) Sandwich of top agar and nutrient agar forms
4) Incubate
5) Should have phage plaques and a lawn of host cells
How do viruses replicate?
1) Attachment (adsorption)
2) Penetration (injection) but protein coat remains outside
3) Synthesis of nucleic acid and protein
4) Assembly and packaging
5) Release (lysis)
6) Virions produced
Viruses need host cells because..
They do not have their own cellular machinery, i.e. they can’t make proteins or ATP or metabolise by themselves and hence are not living organisms
In order, what is produced when viruses try to replicate?
Eclipse: Early enzymes, nucleic acid, protein coats
Maturation: Assembly and release then occurs
How are viruses transmitted? Give an example of a specific virus for each method of transmission.
Respiratory - influenza A Faecal-oral - Enterovirus and Polio Blood-borne - Hepatitis B,C and HIV Sexual transmission - HIV Animal or insect vectors - Rabies virus, Zeka virus
What is a virus tissue tropism?
Its favourite place to effect
Which specific type of immune system cells detect HIV?
CD4+ cells
What acts as the receptor for poliovirus?
CD155
List some in vivo disease processes caused by viruses
cell destruction virus-induced changes to gene expression (eg HPV) Immunopathogenic disease (eg HIV)
Acute virus infections are…
localised to a specific site of the body
What is viraemia?
When the virus is in the blood. This can cause widespread infection of tissues