7 Viruses Viroids and Prions

VIRUSES, VIROIDS, AND PRIONS
A. Characteristics of Viruses
1. Acellular
2. With nucleic acid— either DNA or RNA but never both.
3. With extracellular and intracellular state.
4. Obligate intracellular parasite.
VIRION Viruses Cells
Are inert macromolecules outside Metabolize on their

Morphology:
of a cell, but becomes active own
A. Virion - extracellular state inside.
Capsid
Do not divide or grow Divide and grow
- a protein coat surrounding a nucleic acid core.
Acellular Cellular
(like plasma membrane)
- for protection and means of attachments.

Obligate intracellular parasites Most free-living
- Its subunits are called capsomeres. Most are
composed of single type of protein.

Contain either DNA or RNA Contain both DNA
and RNA
Nucleocapsid, nucleic acid and capsid.
Envelope, a phospholipid membrane surrounding

Genome can be dsDNA, ssDNA, Genome is dsDNA
the nucleocapsid; provides protection and recognition
dsRNA, ssRNA
sites.
10nm to 300nm 300 nm to 12cm in
(ultramicroscopic) diameter
Viruses di er in the following:
I. Genetic material of viruses - either DNA pr RNA

Have proteinaceous capsid Have cell walls
II. Host of viruses - all organisms are susceptible.
around the genome.
III. Size of viruses Replicate in an assembly-line Self-replicating by
- 10 to 300nm in diameter.
manner using the enzymes and asexual or sexual
- In 1892, Dmitri Ivanowsky rst account TMV,
organelles of host cell. means
Tobacco Mosaic Virus. (Family Solanoceae)
- Wendell Stanley (1935), isolated TMV using
electron microscope.
- small pox virus (200nm x 300nm)

- TMV (15nm x 300nm)
- Poliovirus (30nm)
- Bacteriophage MS2 (24nm)
- Bacteriophage T4 (50nm x 225nm) B. Classi cation of Viruses
- International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses
IV. Capsid morphology (stated above) (ICTV) was established in 1065 to provide a single
V. Viral Shapes taxonomic scheme for viral classi cation and
- shapes of virions are also used to classify viruses.
identi cation.
- based on the type of nucleic acid, presence of

S1. Helical Virus - capsomeres in spiral fashion
envelope, shape and size.
forming tube around the nucleic acid.
S2. Polyhedral virus - roughly spherical; icosahedron
(most common with 20 sides)
S3. Complex virus - with capsids of di erent shapes.
(small pox and rabies virus)
VI. Viral Envelope

- all viruses lack cell membrane but they have
envelopes.
E1. Enveloped virus - a phospholipid bilayer and proteins;
which appear as spikes for recognition of host cells;
acquires it from their host cell.
E2. Nonenveloped or naked virion

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C. Viral Replication
R1. The Lytic Replication R2. The Lysogenic Replication Cycle (Lysogeny)
Replication of Animal viruses

- shared by both RNA And DNA viruses
Three mechanisms of Entry and Uncoating of animal viruses:

M1. Direct Penetration (Poliovirus and Dengue virus) — the virus attach and releases viral genome.
M2. Membrane Fusion (Measles and Mumps virus) — attach,fuse, moves inside, uncoat capsid.
M3. Phagocytosis (Adenovirus and Herpes) — attach, fuse, moves inside with the membrane infected, uncoat.
Genome How is mRNA synthesized? What molecule is the template for Genome
replication?
dsDNA by RNA polymerase (in nucleus or cytoplasm) each strand of DNA serves as template for its
complement.
ssDNA by RNA polymerase in nucleus of cell complemetary strand of DNA is synthesized to act as
template.
+ssDNA Genome acts as mRNA RNA is supynthesized to act as template.
+ssRNA DNA is synthesized from RNA by reverse DNA

(Retroviridae) transcriptase; mRNA is transcribed from DNA by
RNA polymerase
-ssRNA by RNA-dependent RNA transcriptase + RNA (mRNA)
dsRNA Positive strand of genome acts as mRNA each strand of genome acts as template for its
complement.
RELEASE OF ENVELOPED ANIMAL VIRUSES THROUGH BUDDING

When viral capsid moves out, it takes the cell membrane of the host cell. This phenomenon is called
“Budding”. The membrane serves as it envelope.
* Infections with enveloped viruses on which host cells shed viruses slowly and relatively steady are called
persistent infections.
RELEASE OF NAKED ANIMAL VIRUSES

I. Exocytosis
II. Lysis
III. Death
Latency of Animal Viruses

a. Chicken pox and herpes may remain
dormant in cells in a process known as
latency.
b. Latency may be prolonged for years with

no viral activity, signs, and symptoms.
Bacteriophage Animal Virus
c. Latency is similar to lysogeny. But they
di er in: viruses do not become Attachment proteins on tails spikes, capsids or
incorporated in the chromosomes of their attach to protein in envelope proteins
host cells, whereas lysogenic phages cell wall
always do.
Penetration genome is injected Capsid enter cell by
d. But HIV are more like lysogenic phages. into cell and direct penetration, fusion,
They become incorporated to the host di uses. or phagocytosis
chromosomes and a ect all descendants
of cell. The condition os permanent.
Uncoating none removal of capsid by cell
- an important feature of HIV infections enzymes.
is that the provirus become a permanent part
of the DNA of the host white blood cells. But Site of In cytoplasm RNA v. in cytoplasm
RNA cannot be incorporated directly to the synthesis DNA v, in nucleus

DNA molecule
Site of In cytoplsm RNA v. in cytoplasm
- HIV can be permanent part of host’s assembly DNA v, in nucleus

DNA because it carries reverse transcriptase.
Mechanism Lysis Naked virions: kysis;

of release enveloped virions and
Environmental Factor inhibiting Oncogen budding
repressors and activating oncogen
Nature of Lysogeny latency with or without
1. UV Light
Chronic incorporation into host

2. Radiation
infection (permanent)
3. Chemicals - carcinogens
4. Viruses
Viruses can cause CA in several ways!
1. Some cary copies of oncogens as part of

their genomes.
2. Others stimulate oncogens already PRIONS

present in the host.
- misfolded proteins
3. Interfere with norma tumor repression - discovered by Stanley Prusiner
when they insert provirus in to repression - “infections proteins” which lack nucleic scid
gene. - composed of single protein call “PrP”.
- 40% of human population has methionine.
- Detrimental temp. for Prions are 900 deg F or 482 deg

C.
Culturing Viruses in the Laboratory
Prions can cause
3 Types of Media:
Spongiform Encephalopathies
1. Bovine Spongiform Endephalitis ‘Mas Cow Disease’
M1. Media consisting a whole organisms culturing 2. Scrapie in sheep
viruses in bacteria.
3. Creutfeldt-Jacob Disease in humans (CJD)
M2. Culturing viruses in plants and animals. 4. Kuru
(Culturing in embryonated chicken egg)
M3. Culturing virus in cell (tissue) culture

Mode of transmission:
Two types:
1) Ingestion, 2) Transplants on infected tissue, 3) contact
a. Diploid cell cultures
of mucous membranes, 4) Skin abrasions with infected
b. Continuous cell cultures (HeLa cells)
tissue
VIROIDS
- similar

to RNA viruses except they lack capsid.
- consist on only nucleic acid w/o protein coat,

ssRNA.
- agent of Potato spindle tuber disease
- MOT: aphids, leaf contact
- replicates in nucleus or chloroplasts.
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VIRUSES, VIROIDS, AND PRIONS

2. With nucleic acid— either DNA or RNA but never both.

3. With extracellular and intracellular state.

4. Obligate intracellular parasite.

VIRION Viruses Cells

Are inert macromolecules outside Metabolize on their

- for protection and means of attachments.

composed of single type of protein.

Envelope, a phospholipid membrane surrounding

I. Genetic material of viruses - either DNA pr RNA

- Wendell Stanley (1935), isolated TMV using

- small pox virus (200nm x 300nm)

- based on the type of nucleic acid, presence of

S2. Polyhedral virus - roughly spherical; icosahedron

(most common with 20 sides)

S3. Complex virus - with capsids of di erent shapes.

(small pox and rabies virus)

VI. Viral Envelope

E1. Enveloped virus - a phospholipid bilayer and proteins;

which appear as spikes for recognition of host cells;

acquires it from their host cell.

E2. Nonenveloped or naked virion

Replication of Animal viruses

Three mechanisms of Entry and Uncoating of animal viruses:

+ssRNA DNA is synthesized from RNA by reverse DNA

RELEASE OF ENVELOPED ANIMAL VIRUSES THROUGH BUDDING

“Budding”. The membrane serves as it envelope.

RELEASE OF NAKED ANIMAL VIRUSES

Latency of Animal Viruses

b. Latency may be prolonged for years with

RNA cannot be incorporated directly to the synthesis DNA v, in nucleus

- HIV can be permanent part of host’s assembly DNA v, in nucleus

Mechanism Lysis Naked virions: kysis;

Chronic incorporation into host

Viruses can cause CA in several ways!

1. Some cary copies of oncogens as part of

2. Others stimulate oncogens already PRIONS

3. Interfere with norma tumor repression - discovered by Stanley Prusiner

gene. - composed of single protein call “PrP”.

- 40% of human population has methionine.

- Detrimental temp. for Prions are 900 deg F or 482 deg

Culturing Viruses in the Laboratory

Prions can cause

1. Bovine Spongiform Endephalitis ‘Mas Cow Disease’

M1. Media consisting a whole organisms culturing 2. Scrapie in sheep

M2. Culturing viruses in plants and animals. 4. Kuru

(Culturing in embryonated chicken egg)

M3. Culturing virus in cell (tissue) culture

- consist on only nucleic acid w/o protein coat,

- agent of Potato spindle tuber disease

- MOT: aphids, leaf contact

- replicates in nucleus or chloroplasts.

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