Viruses

By Mrs. Luedders
 Virus
ONon-living particle
ONucleic acid
OHas either a protein coat or
a lipid-protein coat
 Characteristics
ONo cytoplasm or organelles
OCannot carry out functions
such as metabolism and
homeostasis
 Size and Structure
O Smallest particles to cause disease
O Cannot be seen with a light
microscope
O Structure will vary between viruses
O Can be made of DNA, RNA
O Single stranded, Double stranded,
linear, and circular
 4 basic shapes
O1. Icosahedral
O2. Envelope
O3. Complex
O4. Helical
 Capsid and Envelope

OCapsid – OEnvelope –

protein coat bilipid

membrane that
surrounding
surrounds the
virus capsid
 Classification
OAccording to:
ODNA vs RNA
OSingle stranded vs double stranded
OLinear or circular
ONature of their capsid (protein or
lipid)
OPresence or absence of envelope
Obligate Intercellular Parasite

OObligate – needs (a host)

OIntercellular – inside the cell
(needs cell to replicate)
OParasite – harmful to cell (lives
off cell and destroys it)
 Viral Replication
O Must recognize host cell!
-Proteins must be recognized
O DNA and RNA viruses differ in the
way they replicate
 DNA Replication
OProvirus – DNA of other DNA
viruses inserts into the host
cell’s chromosome. Host cell’s
enzymes then transcribe the
provirus into mRNA and
translate RNA into viral
proteins.
 RNA Replication
O Retroviruses – RNA virus that
contains reverse transcriptase

O Reverse transcriptase – uses RNA

as a template to make DNA, which
then inserts into the host cell’s
genome (Ex. HIV)
 Bacteriophages
O- viruses that infect bacteria
 Lytic Cycle
OVirulent (highly infectious!)
ODestroys cells they infect
OLysis – dissolving or
destroying of the cell
membrane, killing the cell
 Lysogenic Cycle
O Temperate - lays in waiting for days,
months, or years
O Replicates with the host cell, spreading
the virus through host genetics
O Can convert to the lytic cycle and kill the
host cell
O Lytic cycle triggered by radiation or
certain chemicals.
 Prophage
O - phage DNA that has been integrated
into the specific site of the host cell’s
chromosomes
 Origin of Viruses
O Scientists believe that viruses evolved from early
cells.
O Hypothesis: Nucleic acids that traveled from
one cell to another.
O Nucleic acids entered damaged cell
membranes.
O Over time, virus genes evolved to code for a
protective protein coat.
O Viruses can mutate rapidly!
OWhy is this an issue?
 Vector
O -Intermediate host that transfers a
parasite or pathogen to another
organism.
O Ex. Humans, animals, insects,
countertops, floors, anything on
which a virus can linger
 Protease Inhibitors
O-blocks the synthesis of
new viral capsids
 Oncogene
O- genes that cause cancer by
blocking the normal controls
on cell reproduction
 Proto-oncogene
O-a gene that regulates normal
cell division
O-can become a cancer-causing
oncogene as a result of
mutation or recombination
 Emerging Diseases
O Illnesses caused by new or
reappearing infectious agents that
typically exist in animal
populations
O Ex. Ebola
 Vaccinations
O A solution that contains a harmless version of a
virus, bacterium, or a toxin that causes an
immune response when introduced into the body.
O Inactivated virus – not able to replicate
O Attenuated virus – weakened form of virus that
cannot cause disease
O Provides better protection than
inactivated virus
 Viroid
O-smallest known particles
that are able to replicate
OShort, circular, single
strand of RNA that does not
have a capsid
OInfects plants
 Prions
O -infectious protein particles that do
not have a genome
O Abnormal forms of brain protein
that convert normal brain proteins
into prion particles.
O Clumped particles = cell death
O Ex. BSE (bovine spongiform
encephalopathy)