VIRUSES
acquisition of the viral phospholipid envelope.
 Attachment (endocytosis) -viral
proteins and the cap seed or
phospholipids envelop and interact with
specific receptors on the host cellular
surface, and this specificity determines
the host range or tropism of the virus.
 Penetration the process of attachment
to a specific receptor can induce
conformational changes in cap seed
viral proteins or the lipid envelop that
results in the fusion of viral and cellular
membrane. Some DNA viruses can
enter the host cell through receptor
mediated endocytosis.
 Uncoating – the viral cap seed is
removed and degraded by several
enzymes or host enzymes releasing the
viral genomic nucleic acid.
 Replication – after the viral genome has
been uncoated, transcription or
translation of the viral genome is
initiated. It is at this stage of viral
replication that differs greatly between
DNA and RNA viruses, and viruses with
opposite nucleic acid polarity. This
process culminates in the de novo
synthesis of viral proteins and genomes.
 Assembly – after de novo synthesis of
viral proteins and genomes, viral
proteins are packaged with a newly
replicated viral genomes to new virion
that are ready to released host cell. This
process can also be referred to as
Maturation.
 Virion release – there are two methods
of viral release: Lysis or budding. Lysis
result from a dead of the host cell. This
type of process is called cytolytic.
Ex.Variola major (aka smallpox)
Envelope viruses (e.g
influenza virus) typically release
from the host cell by budding.
It is in this process that results in
 Temperate bacteriophage have both
lytic and lysogenic cycle
 Lytic cycle – lytic phages, bacterial cells
are broken open lyst and destroyed
after immediate replication of the
virion. As soon as the cell destroyed,
the page progeny can find new host to
infect
o Ex. Microphage T4
o Lytic phage is more suitable for
lytic therapy
 Lysogenic cycle - does not result in
immediate lysing of the cell
o Those phages that are able to
undergo lysogeny are known as
temperate phages. Their viral
genome will integrate with host
DNA and replicate along with it
fairly harmlessly.
o The virus remains dormant
until host conditions
deteriorate due to depletion of
nutrients. At this point, they
initiate the reproductive cycle
resulting In the lysis of the host
cell
o PHAGE LAMBDA OF THE E.COLI