Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children`s and Women`s Health (LBK), Faculty

of Medicine (DMF)

Examination paper for MOL3020 Molecular Virology

Academic contact during examination: Marit W. Anthonsen

Phone: 91897559, 72573351

Examination date: 19th of December, 2014

Examination time (from-to): 09:00 – 13:00
Permitted examination support material: D

Other information:

Language: English
Number of pages (including front page): 3
Number of pages enclosed:

Checked by:

____________________________
Date Signature

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Short answers are expected; most questions can be answered with a few sentences, a
list or a drawing with explanatory comments

Examination question 1 (20 points)

In brief, explicate the following terms (use approx. 3-5 keywords and give relevant
examples):

a) Viral glycoproteins

b) Latency

c) Retrovirus

d) Vaccine

e) Interferon – Production and function

Examination question 2 (30 points)

a) What are the principal components of viruses?

b) What are the functions of the viral structural proteins?

c) Briefly describe the basic steps in the viral life cycle

d) Herpes- and adenoviruses are both viruses with linear double stranded DNA-
genomes, but their replication mechanisms differ considerably. Give step by step-
summaries of both mechanisms (you may use drawings). Note: the question refers to
replication mechanism and not life cycle.

Examination question 3 (20 points)

a) Mention some cell surface molecules used by animal viruses as receptors. What is
antibody-dependent enhancement of infectivity?

b) Describe the steps from extracellular viral particle to intracellular genome for an
animal virus. Highlight the difference in entry between enveloped and non-enveloped
viruses.

c) Describe in detail the fusion entry of the genome of an HIV-1 virion into a target cell.
How does the drug Enfuvirtide (T-20) inhibit this process?

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Examination question 4 (30 points)

a) What determines the symptoms of viral infectious disease? Use examples from human
medicine.

b) Briefly explain the differences between acute and persistent viral infections on a
clinical and molecular level. Use examples.

c) What is meant by cell “tropism”? Which properties/aspects define the tropism of a

virus?