Viruses: Morphology and Bacteriophage Life Cycle

What is a Virus and How is it Built?

Obligate intracellular parasites
Morphology of a Virion
Size (1/1000 to 1/4 size of bacterium)
Composition
RNA vs DNA
Capsid, envelope, spikes
Shapes
helical, polyhedral (isometric) , complex
Host ranges and grouping of viruses
Bacterial, plant, animal viruses
Propagation and study of viruses
Bacteriophage plaques on a lawn
Animal virus propagation
Identifying viruses
Bacterial Virus Life Cycles (DNA viruses)
Lytic Cycle (e.g. T4 bacteriophage)
Attachment
Penetration/Entry
Biosynthesis
Assembly
Lysis/Release
Lysogenic Life Cycle
Viruses cannot reproduce outside of a cell. They are extremely small and come in three different shapes. They are very specific for
their hosts. In the lytic cycle of bacteriophages, they enter, reproduce, and leave.

Figure 13.1

Viruses

Figure 13.1

Helical Viruses

Figure 13.4a, b

Polyhedral (Isometric) Viruses

Figure 13.2a, b

Some Viruses Have a Phospholipid Envelope

Membrane proteins
form spikes that
stick out from membrane

Complex Viruses

Figure 13.5a

Viral Taxonomy
Family names end in -viridae
Genus names end in -virus
Viral species: A group of viruses sharing the same
genetic information and ecological niche (host).
Common names are used for species
Subspecies are designated by a number

Herpesviridae

Retroviridae

Herpesvirus

Lentivirus

Human herpes
virus 1, HHV 2,
HHV 3

Human
Immunodeficiency Virus
1, HIV 2

Viruses: Morphology and Bacteriophage Life Cycle

What is a Virus and How is it Built?
Obligate intracellular parasites
Morphology of a Virion
Size (1/1000 to 1/4 size of bacterium)
Composition
RNA vs DNA
Capsid, envelope, spikes
Shapes
helical, polyhedral, complex
Host ranges and grouping of viruses
Bacterial, plant, animal viruses
Propagation and study of viruses
Bacteriophage plaques on a lawn
Animal virus propagation
Identifying viruses
Bacterial Virus Life Cycles (DNA viruses)
Lytic Cycle (e.g. T4 bacteriophage)
Attachment
Penetration/Entry
Biosynthesis
Assembly
Lysis/Release
Viruses cannot reproduce outside of a cell. They are extremely small and come in three different shapes. They are very specific for
their hosts. In the lytic cycle of bacteriophages, they enter, reproduce, and leave.

Figure 13.1

Growing Viruses
Viruses must be
grown in living
cells.
Bacteriophages
form plaques on a
lawn of bacteria.

Animal viruses
may be grown in
living animals, or
in embryonated
eggs, or in tissue
culture
Figure 13.6

Growing Viruses
Animal and plants viruses may be grown in cell
culture.
Continuous cell lines may be maintained
indefinitely.

Figure 13.8

Virus Identification

Cytopathic effects
Serological tests
Detect antibodies against viruses in a patient
Use antibodies to identify viruses in neutralization
tests, viral hemagglutination, and Western blot
Nucleic acids
RFLPs (DNA fingerprint)
PCR (selectively amplifying and detecting key
sequences)

Viruses: Morphology and Bacteriophage Life Cycle

What is a Virus and How is it Built?
Obligate intracellular parasites
Morphology of a Virion
Size (1/1000 to 1/4 size of bacterium)
Composition
RNA vs DNA
Capsid, envelope, spikes
Shapes
helical, polyhedral, complex
Host ranges and grouping of viruses
Bacterial, plant, animal viruses
Propagation and study of viruses
Bacteriophage plaques on a lawn
Animal virus propagation
Identifying viruses
Bacterial Virus Life Cycles (DNA viruses)
Lytic Cycle (e.g. T4 bacteriophage)
Attachment
Penetration/Entry
Biosynthesis
Assembly
Lysis/Release
Viruses cannot reproduce outside of a cell. They are extremely small and come in three different shapes. They are very specific for
their hosts. In the lytic cycle of bacteriophages, they enter, reproduce, and leave.

Figure 13.1

Lytic Lifecycle of a Bacteriophage I

Bacterial
cell wall

Bacterial
chromosome

Capsid

DNA
Capsid

Sheath

1 Attachment:

Phage attaches
to host cell.

Tail fiber
Base plate
Pin
Cell wall

Tail

Plasma membrane

2 Penetration:

Phage pnetrates
host cell and
injects its DNA.

Sheath contracted

Tail core

3 Biosynthesis:

Transcription/
Translation and
Viral
chromosome
replication

Figure 13.10.1

Lytic Lifecycle of a Bacteriophage II

Tail
DNA

4 Maturation/Assembly:
Viral components are
assembled into
virions.

Capsid

5 Release:

Host cell lyses and

new virions are
released.

Tail fibers

Figure 13.10.2

Lytic Life Cycle Overall

The Lytic and Lysogenic Cycles

Figure 13.12

Viruses: Morphology and Bacteriophage Life Cycle

What is a Virus and How is it Built?
Obligate intracellular parasites
Morphology of a Virion
Size (1/1000 to 1/4 size of bacterium)
Composition
RNA vs DNA
Capsid, envelope, spikes
Shapes
helical, polyhedral, complex
Host ranges and grouping of viruses
Bacterial, plant, animal viruses
Propagation and study of viruses
Bacteriophage plaques on a lawn
Animal virus propagation
Identifying viruses
Bacterial Virus Life Cycles (DNA viruses)
Lytic Cycle (e.g. T4 bacteriophage)
Attachment
Penetration/Entry
Biosynthesis
Assembly
Lysis/Release
Lysogenic Life Cycle
Viruses cannot reproduce outside of a cell. They are extremely small and come in three different shapes. They are very specific for
their hosts. In the lytic cycle of bacteriophages, they enter, reproduce, and leave.

Figure 13.1