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VIROLOGY

Viruses are smallest known infective agent. Most forms of


life-animals, plants and bacteria are susceptible to
infection with appropriate viruses.
Three main properties distinguish viruses from other
microorganism :
1. Small size. Viruses are smaller than other organisms,
although they very considerably in size-from 10nm to
300nm. In contrast, bacteria are approximately
1000nm and erythrocytes are 7500nm in diameter.
2.

Genome. The genome of viruses may be either DNA or


RNA; viruses contain only one kind of nucleid acid.

3.

Metabolically inert. Viruses have no metabolic activity


outside susceptible host cells; they do not possess
active ribosomes or protein-synthesizing apparatus
although some viruses contain enzymes within their
particles.

Virus Structure
Viruses consist basically of a core of nucleid acid-the genomesurrounded by a protein coat.
The protein coat protects the viral genome from inactivation
by adverse environmental factors, e.g. nucleases in the
blood stream.
It is antigenic and often responsible for stimulating the
production of protective antibodies.
The structures which make up a virus particle are known as :
Virionthe intact virus particle.
Capsidthe protein coat.
Capsomeresthe protein structural units of which the
capsid is composed.
Nucleic acid
Envelopethe particles of many viruses are surrounded by
a lipoprotein envelope containing viral antigents but also
partly derived from the outher membrane or, in some
cases, the nuclear membrane of the host cell.

Virus Structure

continue

Virus particles show three types of symmetry.


Cubicin which the particles are icosahedral
protein shells with the nucleic acid contained
inside.
Helicalin which the particle contains an
elongated nucleocapsid; the capsomeres are
arranged round the spiral of nucleic acid. Most
helical viruses possess an outer envelope which
invests the helical nucleoprotein.
Complexin which the particle does not conform
to either cubic or helical symmetry.

Illustration of viral particle

CLASSIFICATION
Virusses are assigned to groups mainly on the morphology of the
virus particle, but also of their nucleid acid and method of RNA
transcriptation.
Classification of DNA viruses and their diseases
Family

Viruses

Diseases

Poxviruses

Variolla

Smallpox

Herpesvises

Herpes simplex
Varicella-zoster
Cytomegalovirus

Herpes
Chickenpox, shingles
Infection in the
immunocompromised

Adenoviruses

Adenoviruses

Conjunctivitis

Hepadnaviruses

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis

Classification of RNA viruses and their diseases


Family

Viruses

Diseases

Orthomyxoviruses

Influenza

Influenza

Paramyxoviruses

Parainfluenza
Respiratorysyncytial
Measles
Mumps

}Respiratory infection

Coronaviruses

Coronavirus

Respiratory infection

Rhabdoviruses

Rabies

Rabies

Picornaviruses

Enteroviruses
Rhinoviruses
Hepatitis A

Meningitis, paralysis
Colds
Hepatitis

Reoviruses

Rotavirus

Gastroenteritis

Retroviruses

HTLV I, II

T-cell leukemia lymphoma,


paresis
AIDS

HIV 1, 2

Diagram DNA viruses and RNA viruses

The Effect Of Physical And Chemical Agents On Viruses


Heat. Most inactivated at 560C for 30 minutes or at 1000C for a few seconds.
Cold. Stable at low temperatures, most can be stored at -40 0C or, preferably, at -700C;
some viruses are partially inactivated by the process of freezing and thawing.
Drying. Variable, some survive well, others are rapidly inactivated.
Ultraviolet irradiation. Inactivates viruses.
Chloroform and ether. Viruses with lipid-containing envelopes are inactivated; those
without envelopes are resistant.
Oxidizing and reducing agents. Viruses are inactivated by for aldehyde, chlorine,
iodine and hydrogen peroxide.
-propiolactone is used for inactivation of viruses for vaccine preparationas is
formaldehyde.
Phenols. Most viruses are relatively resistant.
Virus disinfectants. The best are hypochlorite solution (which is corrosive) and
gluteraldehyde.

Virus Replication
Virus Growth Cycle

Takes place in seven stages


1. Adsorption
i. To specific receptors on the cell plasma membrane
ii. Best at 370C but also-although slowly-at 40C
iii. Enhanced by Mg++ or Ca++
2. Entry
i. Complex: probably by invagination of cell membrane
round the virus particle to enclose it in a pinocytotic vacuole
ii. With syncytia-producing viruses by fusion of virus
envelope with cell membrane
3. Uncoating
i. Releaseor renders accessiblethe virus nucleic acid or
genome
ii. Cell enzymes (from lysosomes) strip off the protein coat

Virus Replication lanjutan

4. Transcription
i. The production of virus mRNA or replicative intermediate
from the viral genom
ii. Carried out either by host cell or virus-specified enzyme
iii. Subject to complex control mecanisms
a. Patterns of transcription often differ before (early)
and after (late) virus nucleic acid replication
b. Many virus genomes contain promoters and
enhancers that stimulate transcription
c. Primary transcripts are often spliced to remove
intron sequences between expressed exons
d. Transcription sometimes overlaps with different
starting and/or termination points within one gene to
produce different proteins from the same nucleic acid
sequence.

Virus Replication lanjutan


5. Synthesis of virus components
Virus protein synthesis: virus mRNA is translated on cell ribosomes into two
types of protein virus protein:
a. Structuralthe proteins which make up the virus particle
b. Non-structuralnot found in the particle, mainly enzymes for virus
genome replication
virus nucleic acid synthesis:
i. New virus genomes are synthesized
ii. Templates are either the parental genome or, with single-stranded nucleic
acid genomes, newly formed complementary strands
iii. Most often by a virus-coded polymerase or replicase; with some DNA
viruses a cell enzyme carries this out.
6. Assembly
i. New virus genomes and proteins are assembled to form new virus particles
ii. May take place in cell nucleus, cytoplasm or (with most enveloped viruses)
at the plasma membrane which invests the new particle to from the virus
envelope.
7. Release
i. Either by sudden rupture or by gradual extrusion (budding) of enveloped
viruses through the cell membranes

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