Life Sciences: Basic structure of Viruses

Grade 11
Lesson 1

Presenter: Dr Grizelda van Wyk

 Biodiversity & Classification
Biodiversity in general, refers to the wide variety of plants, animals and microorganisms on
Earth.
Organisms which are too small to be seen with the naked eye are referred to as micro-
organisms.
 Biodiversity & Classification
Micro-organisms can be unicellular or multicellular. Some are harmful and cause diseases
whilst others are very useful in the environment and to humans e.g. yeasts are used to
make bread.
 CLASSIFICATION OF ORGANISMS
Scientists
have placed all
the organisms
into specific
groups so that
it is easier to
study them.
There are five
groups called
kingdoms.
CLASSIFICATION OF ORGANISMS
THE TERM MICRO-ORGANISM
 Basic structure of viruses
Viruses are placed in a separate group and not in a kingdom because they display some non-living
as well as living characteristics.
 Viruses occur in many different shapes
 They cannot respire, feed or excrete waste
 They are acellular
 as they do not contain cytoplasm or membrane bound organelles
 If a virus cannot find a host, they can become dormant.
 Basic structure of viruses
• Viruses are considered to be living, because they undergo reproduction when
they are within cells of a living organisms.
• Viruses that attack animals have a nucleic acid core of either DNA or RNA.
• Those viruses that attack plants or bacteria have a nucleic acid core of RNA.
 Basic structure of viruses
Viruses are microscopic as mentioned earlier.
They are smaller than bacteria and ribosomes.
Most viruses are only visible under the electron microscope.
They have a regular shape, or can be spherical, spiral or rod-like.
Some have tails to help in attaching them to the host cell.
 STRUCTURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF VIRUSES

The envelope
Viruses
& spikes
either
enable the
have
virus to
DNA or
attach to the
RNA
host cell

Capsid protects the

genetic material
(genome)
 STRUCTURE OF A BACTERIOPHAGE

Viruses can infect

bacteria, protists, plants Bacteriophage
and animals. is a virus that
Viruses cause diseases infects
and are said to be bacteria
pathogenic. In humans,
viruses are responsible
for diseases such as
HIV/AIDS, poliomyelitis,
chickenpox, herpes,
COVID 19 and influenza.
LIFECYCLE OF A BACTERIOPHAGE
 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
• All viruses are parasitic.
• Viruses are absolutely specific.
• This means that a particular virus will only live in a
particular host and nowhere else.
• For example, the mumps virus is only found in the
salivary glands of a human.
 ACTIVITY 1
The diagram below is that of a typical virus. 1. Identify the parts labelled A to C.
A – Phospholipid
B – DNA/RNA
C – Protein Capsid
2. Explain why viruses are not placed into one of the five
kingdoms.
Because they display some non-living
as well as living
characteristics.
 ACTIVITY 2
The following diagram shows some of the stages that occur during
viral invasion of a bacterium.
Which of the following correctly shows the sequence
in which this occurs?

A 3,1,5,4,2
B 2,4,1,5,3
C 3,5,1,4,2
D 2,5,1,3,4
 ACTIVITY 3

Name the five kingdoms which represent all living organisms.

 Monera
 Protista
 Fungi
 Plantae
 Animalia