VIROLOGY

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the topic, the students can:
• Define terms related to virology
• Differentiate viruses from bacteria
• Identify the component parts of viruses
• Explain the replication cycle of viruses
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
( 1884 ) Louis Pasteur
> discovered rabies virus
> first to discover the vaccine for virus
(1892) Dimitri Ivanowsky & Martinus Beijerinck
discovered the tobacco mosaic virus ( TMV ) from plant
which led to the descriptions of these very minute
particles as “ filterable agents”
( 1898 ) Friedrich Loeffler & Paul Frosch isolated the first
filterable agent from animals, the foot and mouth
virus, infecting cattles
( 1901 ) Walter Reed discovered the first human filterable
agent, the yellow fever virus
( 1915 ) Frederick Twort & Felix d’Herrelle discovered a virus
which could infect and lyze bacteria which was called
“ bacteriophage “
( 1931) Alice Woodruff & Ernest Goodpasture described the use
of fertilized chicken eggs in the cultivation of some viruses
( 1939 ) TMV was the first virus visualized in electron
microscopy and in x-ray crystallography ( 1941 )
( 1949) Enders et al. made a breakthrough by developing
tissue culture systems which led to the isolation of
poliovirus followed by the development of its
corresponding vaccine
( Present )
> the term “ VIRUS “ which means in Latin as slimy liquid
or poison ( as introduced by Pasteur ) , has replaced the
term filterable agents
> molecular biology and cancer are linked to the study of
viruses
 INTRODUCTION
• Viruses have a HOST RANGE. That is, viruses infect
specific cells or tissues of specific hosts, or specific
bacteria, or specific plants.

• VIRAL SPECIFICITY refers to the specific kinds of cells a

virus can infect. It is regulated by the specificities of
attachment, penetration and replication of the virus
( Receptors )
Properties of Viruses
1. Viruses are NOT cells. They do not have nuclei,
mitochondria or ribosomes or other cellular
components.
2. They are infective agents smaller than the
bacteria which have the ability to produce
diseases or genetic changes in every known
cell.
3. They DO NOT grow.
4. Non-motile.
5. They replicate or multiply ONLY within living
cells, thus, they are OBLIGATE INTRACELLULAR
PARASITES.
6. They are non- living and they lack enzymes for
metabolism yet, they can REDIRECT the
metabolic activities of the invaded cell to
produce new/other viral particles.
7. Can cause death / destruction of the invaded
cell during replication.
8. The entire infectious particle is called a
“ VIRION” which is either naked or enveloped.
9. Their basic structure consist of a nucleic acid
( genome ), RNA or DNA , but never both
10. Viruses have a protein shell/coat called CAPSID
that surrounds & protects the nucleic acid core.
11.The capsid may be surrounded by a lipid and
protein –containing membrane called ENVELOPE.
12. They multiply by ASSEMBLY LINE METHOD
 STRUCTURE
Their ultramicroscopic size ranges from
20 – 450 nm ( compact and economical ) which
can be viewed under electron microscope.

smallest virus – PARVOVIRUS – 20 nm

largest virus – POXVIRUS – 450 nm
 CAPSID
• protective outer shell/ coat that surrounds viral
nucleic acid
( nucleic acid + capsid = nucleocapsid )
• composed of polypeptide chains ( protomers )
that aggregate in groups of 5 – 6 to form
capsomers ( structural units )
• protects the nucleic acid from the environment
& helps to introduce the viral genome into suitable
host’s cell ( attachment )
• Capsid spikes - used for binding to cell surface
proteins
• capsomer arrangement determines the viral
symmetry ( form )

Types of Capsomer Arrangement

1.) icosahedral = 20 – sided polygon with 12
evenly – spaced corners
2.) helical = rod-shaped capsomers that bond
together to form a series of hollow
discs resembling a bracelet
3.) complex = combination of 1 & 2
( e.g. Bacteriophage )
 ENVELOPE
• loosely fitting membrane surrounding the
nucleocapsid which is acquired from the host’s
cell membrane during replication process
• it is a CHON covalently attached to CHO
( glycoprotein )
• it also contains lipids derived from the host’s
cell
• if absent, the virion is said to be naked
 BACTERIOPHAGES
Bacteriophage
– Polyhedral head
– Helical tail
– Fibers for attachment
• Are considered either LYTIC or TEMPERATE
• Are often associated with virulence genes in bacteria
- EX. - diphtheria toxin in Corynebacterium diphtheriae
Botulinum toxin from Clostridium botulinum
A prophage is a
bacteriophage (often
shortened to "phage")
genome inserted and
integrated into the circular
bacterial DNA chromosome
or existing as an
extrachromosomal plasmid.
This is a latent form of a
phage, in which the viral
genes are present in the
bacterium without causing
disruption of the bacterial
cell.
 Viral Replication Steps
( ASSEMBLY LINE METHOD
1. Adsorption / adherence / attachment
2. Penetration
3. Uncoating
4. Biosynthesis
5. Assembly /Maturation
6. Release
Viruses recognize specific
receptors on the membrane of
the target cell
VIRUSES PENETRATE THE CELL VIA
ENDOCYTOSIS OR MEMBRANE FUSION
RELEASE OF NEW VIRAL PARTICLES
IS VIA
CELL LYSIS OR BUDDING
• https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=prophages&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=
0ahUKEwjH16HO09LeAhVGAogKHQmbD9sQ_AUICSgA&biw=1536&bi
h=754&dpr=1.25
• http://www2.nau.edu/~fpm/bio205/Sp-10/Chapter-06.pdf