Replication of Viruses

Lecture # 3

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Replication / Reproduction of dsDNA Phage
Viruses
• There are two types of cycles for replication of
viruses;
• During infection, a phage attaches to a bacterium
and inserts its genetic material into the
bacterium. After that a phage usually follows one
of the two life cycles;
1. Lytic Cycle
2. Lysogenic Cycle

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1- Lytic Cycle

• A life cycle that ends with the host cell, by

bursting and releasing virion particles.
• Following are the steps involved in lytic cycle.
• Adsorption
• Biosynthesis of Viral proteins
• Assembly of Viral Proteins
• Release of Viral Particles

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a) Adsorption

• Following steps proceed adsorption

I. Landing
II. Attachment
III. Binding

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i. Landing

• Bacteriophages don’t randomly attach with the

surface of the host cell but these are attached on
some specific surface structure known as
Receptor Sites.
• These receptor sites include cell wall,
polysaccharides and proteins, teichoic acid, and
flagella.

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ii. Attachment

• Attachment starts when a tail fiber of virus

contact with a specific receptor site on
bacterium. As more tail fibers make contact with
bacterium, the base plate of virus settle down on
the surface of host.

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iii. Binding
• Binding is electrostatic interaction between host
surface and virus. This binding is influenced by
calcium or magnesium ions and avoids change in pH.
• After the base plate has settled down on the surface
of host, configuration changes take place in tail tube
of virus.
• As a result of these changes, tail sheath reorganizes
and it becomes shorter and wider, DNA transfer from
capsid to tail tube and then into the host cell.

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b) Biosynthesis of Viral Proteins

• After DNA injection, the synthesis of host RNA,

DNA and protein stop and bacterial cell is forced
to make viral constituents. RNA polymerase
starts the synthesis of viral mRNA within two
minutes.
• This mRNA and all other already present mRNA
direct the synthesis of protein factors and
enzymes required to take over the host cell and
manufacture viral nucleic acid.
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• Some early viral mRNA produces some specific
enzymes that degrade host DNA into nucleotides
and in this way stop the gene expression of host
cell.
• These Nucleotides provide raw material for viral
DNA synthesis. Viral DNA synthesis stops within 5
minutes.

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c) Assembly of Viral Proteins

• The assembly of viral particles is a complex

process. The viral messenger RNA directs the
synthesis of 3 kinds of proteins.
i. Phage structural proteins.
ii. Proteins that facilitate the assembly of viral
particles without the part of virion particles.
iii. Proteins involved in cell lysis and phage
release.

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• mRNA transcription begins about 9 minutes after
DNA injection in to bacteria.
• All proteins required for phage assembly are
synthesized simultaneously and these proteins are
used in 4 independent assembly lines.
• The base plate is consists of 15 gene products. Then
the base plate is finished and tail tube is synthesized
on this base plate. Then tube sheath is assembled
around the tube.

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• Then phage prohead proteins are formed and the
simultaneously combines with tail assembly.
• The procapsid is assembled with tail with the help of
scaffolding proteins and these proteins are degraded
or removed after construction is completed.
• Then another portal protein located at the base of
procapsid helps for the connection of procapsid with
tail assembly. Then tails fibers attached to the base
plate after the head and tail have come together.

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d) Release of Virion Particles

• Many viruses break their host cell at the end of

intracellular phase. Different genes are involved in
this process.
• One of these genes directs the synthesis of Endolysin
that attack Peptidoglycans present in cell wall of
bacteria.
• Another protein known as Holin, causes lesions in
plasma membrane. These lesions result in stoppage
of respiration and this allow endolysin to attack on
peptidoglycans.
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 2- Lysogenic cycle

• Many DNA phages establish in different

relationships with their host after adsorption and
penetration.
• The viral genome does not take control of its
host cell and does not destroy it. Instead the viral
genome remains within the host cell and
replicates with bacterial genome to produce a
clone of infected cells.

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• These infected cells may grow and replicate for
long periods. These infected cells appear
perfectly normal.
• These infected cells can produce phages and
destroy the bacterial cell under suitable
environmental conditions.

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• This relationship between phages or virus and its
host is known as Lysogeny. Bacteria are called as
Lysogens, a process called as Lysogeny. The
viruses are called Temperate Phages.
• The late form of viral genome that remains
within host but does not destroy it is known as
Prophage.

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Lysogeny
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Thanks

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