Viruses

Question 1

All viruses are comprised of:

Answer 1

A protein coat (capsid) encapsulating a core of Nucleic Acids.

Question 2

How do anti-virals work?

Answer 2

By inhibiting viral replication in cells

Question 3

Describe the lytic cycle of viral infection

Answer 3

Viral capsid joins with the membrane of the host and inserts viral DNA into the host.
Host replicates viral DNA and proteins en masse and host DNA is broken down
Cell bursts and releases hundreds more viri.

Question 4

What is viral latency

Answer 4

A period in which, under the control of specific latency genes, a pathogenic virus remains dormant. During this time, the viral DNA is present in the host cell but does not control the cell’s activities.

Question 5

What is Episomal latency?

Answer 5

The viral nucleic acid roams freely in the cytoplasm of the host cell but remains inactive.

Question 6

What is proviral latency?

Answer 6

The Viral DNA becomes integrated into the DNA of the host. it is now termed proviral, but the viral DNA is dormant until reactivated.