General Microbiology and Immunology

(BNCNC2083)

Lecture 3
Prof. Dr. Mohsen Abou Elela
Mobile: 01005191713
 Viruses
• Smallest infections agents.
• intracellular parasites-can reproduce only in host
cells.
• Can not carry on independent metabolism.
• first virus discovered was tobacco mosaic virus
[TMV] in 1892.
• in 1931 virus cultured in the lab using tissue
culture.
• viruses are not cellular.
• consist only of a nucleic acid either DNA or RNA,
surrounded by a protein coat.
• Generally more resistant to some disinfectants
than most bacteria.
• Most are susceptible to heat, except hepatitis
virus.
• Not affected by antibiotics.
 VIRUS STRUCTURE
• Some viruses are much more complex than others.
• The capsid (protein coat) is the basic unit of structure:
– Protect viral nucleic acid
– Interact specifically with the viral nucleic acid for packaging.
– Interact with vector for specific transmission.
– Interact with host receptors for entry to cell.
– Allow for release of nucleic acid upon entry into new cell.
– Assist in processes of viral and/or host gene regulation.
 Nucleoprotein has two basic structure types:
• HELICAL:
• Rod shaped, varying widths and specific architectures;
no theoretical limit to the amount of nucleic acid that can
be packaged.
• CUBIC (Icosahedral): Spherical, amount of nucleic acid
that can be packaged is limited.
• Virus structure is studied by:
– Transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
– Cryo EM – one of the most powerful methods currently available
(The technique involves flash-freezing solutions of proteins or
other biomolecules and then bombarding them with electrons to
produce microscope images of individual molecules. These are
used to reconstruct the 3D shape, or structure, of the
molecule.).
– X-Ray diffraction.
 Principles of basic virus structure
• Nucleoprotein must be stable but dissociatable
• Capsid is held together by non-covalent, reversible bonds:
hydrophobic, salt, hydrogen bonds
• Capsid is a polymer of identical subunits
• Terms:
– Capsid = protein coat
– Structural unit = protein subunit
– Nucleocapsid = nucleic acid + protein
– Virion = virus particle
• Capsid proteins are compactly folded proteins which:
– Fold only one way, and robustly
– Vary in size, generally 50-350 aa residues
– Have identifiable domains
– Can be described topologically; similar topological features do not
imply evolutionary relationships
 Basic virus structure
DNA
Capsid Naked
or + Nucleocapsid =
protein capsid virus
RNA

Lipid membrane,
Nucleocapsid + Enveloped virus
glycoproteins
 Capsid symmetry
Icosahedral Helical

Naked capsid

Enveloped

Matrix

Lipid

Glycoprotein
bacteriophage

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