GENERAL PROPERTIES OF

VIRUSES,VIROIDS AND
PRIONS.
VIROIDS
 Viroids are even more simple than viruses. They are small, circular,
single-stranded molecules of infectious RNA lacking even a protein
coat. They are the cause of a few plant diseases such as potato
spindle-tuber disease,cucumber pale fruit, citrus exocortis disease,
and cadang-cadang (coconuts).
PRIONS.
 Prions are infectious protein particles responsible for a group of transmissible
and/or inherited neurodegenerative diseases including Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease, kuru, and Gerstmann-Straussler-syndrome in humans, as well as
scrapie in sheep and goats, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow
disease) in cattle and in humans (where it is called new variant Creutzfeldt–
Jakob disease humans).
GENERAL PROPERTIES OF
VIRUSES
Structure
1. Nucleic acid –contains 3-400 genes
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) –unique features
Single and/or double stranded
Glycosylated and/or
Gaps present in double stranded molecule
 Circular or linear
CONT…
Bound protein molecules
Unique purine and/or pyrimidine bases present
Ribonucleotides present
RNA
Single or double stranded
Segmented or unsegmented
Bound protein molecules
 Unique purine and/or pyrimidine bases present
CAPSID
 The capsid accounts for most of the virion mass. It is the protein
coat of the virus. It is a complex and highly organized entity which
gives form to the virus. Subunits called protomeres aggregate to
form capsomeres which in turn aggregate to form the capsid.
ENVELOPE.
This is an amorphous structure composed of lipid,
protein and carbohydrate which lies to the outside of
the capsid. It contains a mosaic of antigens from the
host and the virus. A naked virus is one without an
envelope.
SPIKE.
These are glycoprotein projections which have
enzymatic and/or adsorption and/or
hemagglutinating activity. They arise from the
envelope and are highly antigenic.
PROPERTIES
 1. General Properties of Viruses Virology Virology is the
bioscience for study of viral nature,and the relationship
between viruses and hosts Definition of Virus Viruses may
be defined as acellular organisms whose genomes consist
of nucleic acid, and which obligately replicate inside host
cells using host metabolic machinery and ribosomes to
form a pool of components which assemble into particles
called VIRIONS
CONT…
 Smallpox was endemic in China by 1000BC. In response, the practice of
variolation was developed. Recognizing that survivors of smallpox outbreaks
were protected from subsequent infection, variolation involved inhalation of
the dried crusts from smallpox lesions like snuff, or in later modifications,
inoculation of the pus from a lesion into a scratch on the forearm of a child.
CONT…
 Viruses are inert (nucleoprotein ) filterable Agents 
Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites  Viruses
cannot make energy or proteins independent of a host cell
 Viral genome are RNA or DNA but not both  Viruses
lack the enzymes necessary for protein and nucleic acid
synthesis  Viruses do not have the genetic capability to
multiply by division  Viruses occupy the twilight zone
that separates the ‘living’ from the ‘nonliving ’
CONT…
 Properties of bacteria and viruses Cellular Growth Binary
organisation on fission inanimate media Bacteria
Mycoplasma Rickettsiae Chlamydiae Viruses Both DNA
and RNA Ribosome Sensitivity to antibiotics Sensitivity to
Interferons + + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - - + + - + + - + +
-++-++
MEDICAL IMPORTANCE OF
VIRUSES
  Viral diseases range from minor ailments such as the common cold to terrifying diseases
such as rabies or AIDS  They may be sporadic like mumps, endemic like infectious hepatitis,
epidemic like dengue fever or pandemic like influenza  They may be localised to
circumscribed areas (as some arbovirus diseases) or worldwide (as Herpes simplex)  Viruses
can cause cancer in animals and birds, as well as in humans
MORPHOLOGY SIZE
METHODS OF ANALYSIS
 1. Passing through collodion membrane filters of graded
porosity (gradocol membranes)
 2. Ultracentrifuge
 3. Electron microscope
 4. X-ray crystallography
SIZES.
A small virus has a diameter of about 20 nm. Example:
Parvovirus A large virus have a diameter of up to 400 nm.
Example: Poxviruses
STRUCTURE AND SHAPE
VIRION
 The complete infectious unit of virus particle
Capsid The protein shell, or coat, that encloses the
nucleic acid genome. Functions: a. Protect the viral
nucleic acid. B. Participate in the viral infection. C.
Antigenic and specific for each virus type d.
Provides structural symmetry to the virus particle
Nucleocapsid The capsid with the enclosed nucleic
acid
SYMMETRY OF
NECLEOCAPSID
 Cubical/Icosahedral (Adeno virus, Coxsackie virus, CMV, EBV,
Hepatitis virus, HSV, Polio virus, Rubella virus) 2. Helical
(Influenza, Rubeola, Mumps, Rabies, Hanta, Corona viruses) 3.
Complex (Bacteriophage, Pox viruses)

RABBIES Mumps
ADSORPTION
 Virions may come into contact with cells by random collision but adsorption takes place only
if there is an affinity between the two  Differences in susceptibility to viral infection are to a
large extent based on the presence or absence of receptors on cells Penetration  Virus
particles may be engulfed by a mechanism resembling phagocytosis, a process known as
‘viropexis’  In the case of enveloped viruses, the viral envelope may fuse with the plasma
membrane of the host cell and release the nucleocapsid into the cytoplasm
REPLICATION
 The viral multiplication cycle can be divided into six sequential phases, though the phases
may sometimes be overlapping
 1. Adsorption or attachment
 2. Penetration
 3. Uncoating
 4. Biosynthesis
 5. Maturation
 6. Release
UNCOATING
 Process of stripping the the virus of its outer layers and capsid so
that the nucleic acid is released into the cell  With most viruses,
uncoating is effected by the action of lysosomal enzymes of the
host cell Biosynthesis  During this phase, viral nucleic acid,
capsid protein, enzymes necessary in the various stages of viral
synthesis, assembly and release will be synthesised  Certain
‘regulatory proteins’ which serve to shut down the normal cellular
metabolism and direct the sequential production of viral
components are also synthesised  The site of viral synthesis
depends on the type of virus
UNCOATING
DEFECTIVE VIRUSES
 Some viruses are genetically defective in that when they
infect cells, they are unable to give rise to fully formed
progeny  Yield of progeny virions occurs only if the cells
are simultaneously infected with a helper virus, which can
supplement the genetic deficiency (eg; hepatitis D, adeno-
associated satellite viruses, which replicate only in the
presence of their helper viruses – hepatitis B and
adenoviruses, respectively)
 CULTIVATION OF VIRUSES
 Cultivation of viruses Systems for the propagation of
viruses
 Human volunteers
 Animal inoculation
 Embryonated eggs
 Tissue culture a) Organ culture b) Explant culture c) Cell
culture