Viruses- global virome

Question 1

what is the virome?

Answer 1

the community of viruses present in the environment

Question 2

what % of our DNA is viral genetic info? how

what are the roles of endogenous viral elements?

Answer 2

5-8%
acquired during evolution through infection of germ cells

Role: endogenous viral elements in gene expression or encoding key proteins, eg syncytins derived from endogenous
retroviral genes vital role in placentation

Question 3

give an example of a resident of the human virome?

Answer 3

HSV1

• life long infection in NS
• Long-term resident of virome
• Decades of interaction with host immune system

Question 4

give an example of an oncoGENIC impact of viruses?

Answer 4

tumour of jaw caused by Herpes (Burkitt’s lymphoma)

Question 5

ive an example of an oncoLYTIC impact of viruses?

Answer 5

reduction of carcinoma
size following injection
with a modified
herpes virus (RAMBO)

Question 6

give an example of viruses affecting economically important plant?

Answer 6

tomato yellow leaf curl virus

Question 7

how can viruses be used as a biological insecticide?

Answer 7

baculovirus occlusion body (OB) is ingested with contaminated food.
When OBs reach the alkaline midgut the proteinaceous matrix is
dissolved releasing occlusion body derived viruses (ODV). ODV then
replicate and kill infected cells and larvae

Question 8

what makes a virus a pathogen?

Answer 8

• virus entry to target cell
• virus replication in target cell
• virus transmission from one org-> another
• large scale?

then PATHOGEN

Question 9

what other factors can have an effect on whether an individual is susceptible to virus inf?

Answer 9

• genetic background

this combined w/ env factors can lead to disease

Question 10

which viruses are associated with obesity?

Answer 10

human adenoviruses 36, 37 and 5

Question 11

how is asthma affected by viruses?

Answer 11

• link between asthma and human rhinovirus (90% of children with severe asthma are infected with human rhinovirus)
• Altered response to rhinovirus with more virus-induced lower airway
  pathway, central to asthma pathology

Question 12

how do bacteriophages regulate bacterial microbiome?

Answer 12

via gene transfer, killing

competent bacteria, encoding toxins

Question 13

give 2 examples of virus induced diseases that are mediated by bacteria?

Answer 13

influenza and staphylococcal

infections

Question 14

describe the role of viruses in Crohn’s disease

Answer 14

persistent norovirus infection interacts with autophagy

gene variants to induce Crohn’s disease

Question 15

how can we identify the virome?

sampling?

Answer 15

Human microbiome project: metagenomic sequencing of total
DNA from human faeces and other sites
sampling: diverse collection of patients…healthy or patients
exhibiting unexplained conditions…blood, swabs, urine, faeces,
respiratory secretions, tissues

Question 16

what is a powerful tool for gaining insights into virushost interactions?

Answer 16

high throughput seq

- can predict novel viruses & describe the genomes of novel and known viruses