Week 8 - HIV, hepatitis, coronavirus, bacteriophages

Question 1

Every zoonotic coronavirus has originated in bats. True or false?

Answer 1

True.

Question 2

When was the SARS epidemic?

Answer 2

2002-4

Question 3

What does MERS stand for?

Answer 3

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

Question 4

When was the MERS epidemic?

Answer 4

2012.

Question 5

Classify SARS-CoV2.

Answer 5

Enveloped ss(+)RNA virus.

Question 6

SARS-CoV-2 comes from family Coronaviridae. True or false?

Answer 6

True.

Question 7

What is the ‘N’ protein in a virus? What does it do in coronaviruses?

Answer 7

Nucleoprotein, winds up the RNA genome.

Question 8

What is the ‘M’ protein, and what does it do in coronaviruses?

Answer 8

Membrane protein, forms the capsid.

Question 9

SARS-CoV-2 has a 45kb genome. True or false?

Answer 9

False. It is 30kb.

Question 10

The ‘S’ protein in coronaviruses stands for…

Answer 10

Spike protein.

Question 11

What receptor on the surface of cells do SARS-Cov-2 spike proteins target?

Answer 11

ACE2 receptor.

Question 12

Classify the hepatitis C virus.

Answer 12

Enveloped ss(+)RNA.

Question 13

What cells does hepatitis C target?

Answer 13

Hepatocytes in the liver.

Question 14

From what family does the hepatitis C virus come from?

Answer 14

Flaviviridae.

Question 15

The hepatitis C genome is 15kb. True or false?

Answer 15

True.

Question 16

Treatment that directly acts against RNA polymerase or proteases are called DAAs, or…

Answer 16

Direct acting antivirals.

Question 17

Which immune cells decline in an HIV patient?

Answer 17

CD4+ memory T cells

Question 18

Viruses that convert genomic viral RNA into cellular DNA are called:

Answer 18

Retroviruses.

Question 19

What is the key enzyme of retroviruses?

Answer 19

Reverse transcriptase.

Question 20

HIV can be suppressed, HCV can be cured. True or false?

Answer 20

True.

Question 21

What is the most abundant DNA-replicating agent on the planet?

Answer 21

Bacteriophages.

Question 22

What are three phage structures?

Answer 22

1. Filamentous
2. Head-tail / T-even
3. Icosahedral

Question 23

A temperate phage uses which cycle?

Answer 23

Lysogenic cycle.

Question 24

A virulent phage uses which cycle?

Answer 24

Lytic cycle.

Question 25

The phage DNA that is integrated into the host chromosome is called:

Answer 25

The prophage.

Question 26

The prophage is constantly expressed in the host cell. True or false?

Answer 26

False.

Question 27

Define ‘phage transduction’.

Answer 27

The transfer of one bacterium’s genetic material to another via phage.

Question 28

What is the main mechanism of phage transduction? (hint: lysogenised genes + extra)

Answer 28

The prophage is excised from the host, and a bit of the host’s chromosomal DNA is taken in the process.

Question 29

What is the phage resistance system ‘Abi’?

Answer 29

Abortive infection - essentially altruistic suicide.

Question 30

Phage resistance involving restriction enzymes and methylation of bacterial DNA is referred to as:

Answer 30

Restriction modification.

Question 31

Give 3 applications of bacteriophages.

Answer 31

1. Model biomolecular system.
2. Medicine (antibiotic resistance).
3. Biotechnology (food contamination).