Viruses Flashcards
What is a virus?
An intracellular obligate parasite
What is the structure of a virus?
Nucleic acid genome that forms three genes, protected by a capsid and an external envelope. No membrane bound organelles for protein synthesis so require a host
How are viruses classified?
Via their genome which will either be DNA or RNA and Double or Single stranded and Sense or Antisense
What is required to convert antisense to sense?
RNA polymerase converts before translation can occur.
Give the type of genome associated with each classification I-VII.
I - DNA Ds e.g. adenovirus, herpes simplex
II - DNA Ss e.g. parovirus
III - RNA Ds e.g. retrovirus
IV - RNA Ss sense RT e.g. Hep C, polio
V - RNA Ss antisense e..g. influenza, ebola
VI - RNA Ss sense TR e.g. HIV
VII - DNA Reverse transcriptase e.g. Hep B
What shape can capsids be?
Helical e.g. ebola
Cosahedral (20 triangles into a sphere) e.g. adenovirus
What is specific to retroviruses?
Must make a DNA reverse transcript from its RNA genome to integrate into the host’s genome. This makes the infection irreversible e.g. HIV
What happens once a cell is infected?
The viral capsid dissembles and control over synthesis of viral proteins begins
What features does the viral synthesis produce?
Replication factors produce non-structural proteins
Subunits which assemble for form structural proteins for the capsid and virions.
Viral genome is copied.
What is the eclipse phase?
The phase in which components are synthesised and new generations assemble. The virus cannot be recovered in this phase as it is latent.
How are the new viruses released?
Via budding or lysis within minutes or days.
What determines the burst size?
The presence of a lipid membrane.
A small burst is due to a membrane slowing the replication and the spread is slow.
A large burst size is due to the lack of a lipid membrane and the virus spreads fast.
What is tropism?
The binding of a virus to a specific surface receptor of the host.
What determines if a species is resistant to a virus?
The presence of the specific receptor required to infect
What is the tropism of HIV?
HIV GP120 binds to CD4 and CCR5 on macrophages and CD4 T cells causing gradual destruction of the immune cells, progressing to AIDs. Only if bound to both types of receptors will invasion occur.