CHAPTER 2

Viruses
Structure & Characteristics
Lytic & Lysogenic Life Cycles of Bacteriophage
Viroids and Prions

What is Virus??
Definition: A non-cellular infectious agent
that consists of nucleic acid (genetic material)
enclosed in protein coat.
Replicate/reproduce by invading inside the living
cells of organisms. Then, commandeering their
metabolic machinery.
Tiny but potent, infect other organisms and cause
variety of diseases in plants and animals

HISTORY OF VIRUS
Early 20th century, scientists discovered infectious
agents that could cause disease in animals or kill
bacteria.
These pathogens passed through filters that usually
removed bacteria. Means?
Its so small that they could not be seen with the light
microscope.
They could not be grown in laboratory cultures unless
living cell are present.

These agent infected plants or animals came to be

known as VIRUSES.
Those that killed bacteria called bacteriophages
(bacteria eaters).

T4 Bacteriophage

Escherichia Coli

E. coli is a bacterium. That is a crude cell, it is

not a virus because viruses are protein
containers with DNA cores or RNA cores.

CHARACTERISTICS OF VIRUS
Virus/Virion is a tiny particle consisting of nucleic acid
core (genetic material) surrounded by a protein
coat called CAPSID.
Genetic materials may contain only a single type of
nucleic acid either DNA or RNA (but, NEVER BOTH).
Some virus are also surrounded by an outer membranous
envelope containing proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and traces of
metal.

An intermediate form between live and death.

They are obligate intracellular parasites meaning that they
are NOT ALIVE outside the living cells.

Viruses multiply/reproduce inside living cells by

using the biosynthetic machinery of the host.

The Size of a Virus

Viruses are smaller than bacteria.
Viruses are too small even to be seen by a light
microscope.
A typical small virus : poliovirus, is about 20 nm in
diameter
Whereas a larger virus: poxvirus that cause
smallpox, might be 400 nm long and 200 nm
wide.

Microscopic size in the range of 10 100 nm

The Size of a Virus

VIRUSES are
alive/activated
ONLY when they
infect the host cells.

CHARACTERISTICS OF VIRUS

Viruses have lack of metabolic enzymes and

organelles for production of protein.
The recognition between viruses and the host
cells is SPECIFIC.
Viruses are not cellular and cannot independently
perform metabolic activity.
They do not have the components for cellular respiration or
synthesize proteins and other molecules.

STRUCTURE OF VIRUS
Protein coat - called
CAPSID. Unit of capsid
is called capsomere.
Genetic material either RNA or DNA
Shape - helical,
icosahedral, polyhedral,
enveloped, complex
Tail (if present) is
composed of protein.
Viruses are composed of
nucleic acid core.

Nucleic Acid Composition

Viruses contain either the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) or
RNA (ribonucleic acid), NOT BOTH.
Contrast, living organisms contain both DNA and RNA

They can reproduce, BUT ONLY within the complex

environment of living cells they infect
Have genetic information that can force the host cell to
replicate the viral nucleic acid and can take over the
transcriptional and translational mechanism of the host cell.
The host then synthesizes the capsid and envelope components
of the virus

Shape of Virus
The shape of virus is determined by the capsid. Viral capsid are
generally either helical or polyhedral or combination of both
shapes.
HELICAL - long rods or threads. E.g. tobacco mosaic virus
POLYHEDRAL/ISOMETRIC - spherical. E.g. adenovirus
However, the (COMPLEX) consists of a polyhedral head
attached to helical tail. E.g. T4 bacteriophage

PHAGE / BACTERIOPHAGE
Phages or bacteriophages are viruses that
ONLY attack on bacteria.
Their structures are the most COMPLEX shape.
Consists of a LONG Nucleic Acid molecule
(usually DNA) coiled within a POLYHEDRAL /
ICOSAHEDRAL head.
Many phages have a tail attached to the head.
The fibers extending from the tail are used to
ATTACH to a BACTERIUM.

Exhibit two types of reproduction: lytic and

lysogenic cycle.

VIRAL REPRODUCTION
There have 2 types of viral reproduction
1. Lytic cycle
2. Lysogenic cycle

Lytic cycle

The virus lyses (destroys)

the host cell (virulent).

When the virus infects a

susceptible host cell, it
forces the host to use it
metabolic machinery to
replicate viral protein.

Lysogenic cycle

Viruses do not always

destroy their hosts
(temperate).

The viral genome usually

becomes integrated into
host bacterial DNA.

Lytic
Cycle
5 steps that are
typical in lytic cycle
are:
1. Attachment
2. Penetration
3. Replication
4. Assembly
5. Release
REMEMBER!!!
Viruses that have only
Lytic Cycle are
described as virulent.

Lytic Cycle (Explanation)

1.Attachment: Virus attaches to receptors on the host (bacteria)
cell wall.
2.Penetration: Phage DNA invade the host cells. Nucleic acid of
the virus move into the cytoplasm of the host through membrane.
3.Replication: Virus command the host cell to synthesize the
necessary component for its replication. Phage DNA is replicated,
Phage Proteins are synthesized.
4.Assembly: Newly synthesized viral components assembled into
new mature viruses.
5.Release: Assembled virus released from the cell. The host cell is
destroyed as the new virus dribbled out. Then, infect the other
cells.

Lysogeni
c Cycle
In contrast with virulent virus,
temperate virus do not always
destroy their hosts.
5 steps that are typical in
lytic cycle are:
1. Attachment
2. Penetration
3. Integration
4. Replication
REMEMBER!!!
The viral DNA will
integrate into the host
bacterial cell called as
prophage

Lysogenic Cycle (Explanation)

1.Attachment: Virus attaches to receptors on the host (bacteria)
cell wall.
2.Penetration: The phage injects its DNA into bacterium
(cytoplasm of the host) through membrane.
3.Integration: Phage DNA integrates at a specific site of bacterial
DNA through genetic recombination and become PROPHAGE.
This prophage does not command the host cell to produce new virus.
However, this prophage will REMAIN SILENT inside the host
bacterium.

4. Replication: The integrated prophage replicates when bacterial

DNA replicates.

ANIMAL VIRUS
Hundreds of different viruses infect human
and other animals.
Most virus cannot survive outside a living host cell, so
their survival depends on their being transmitted
from animal to animal.
The type of attachment proteins on the surface
determines what type of cell it can infect.
e.g. human cell only, or sometimes its more specific,
e.g. brain cell only.

How virus penetrate animal cell?

1.Membrane fusion: After attachment to a host-cell receptor,
enveloped viruses fuse with plasma membrane. The viral
capsid and nucleic acid will then be released into cytoplasm.

2.Endocytosis: the
hosts plasma
membrane
invaginates to form
a membrane-bound
vesicle that contain
virus

DNA and RNA viruses

Basically animal virus is categorized into DNA virus and RNA
virus; depending on their nucleic acid type.
1.DNA virus
e.g. poxvirus, adenovirus.
The synthesis of viral DNA and protein is similar to the host
process of synthesizing its own DNA and protein.

2.RNA virus
RNA replication and transcription is take place with the help of
RNA polymerase.
However, certain RNA virus called retrovirus have DNA
polymerase called reverse transcriptase to transcribe RNA
into DNA intermediate.
This DNA becomes integrated into host DNA as a PROVIRUS
(in the nucleus)
Copies of viral RNA are synthesized as the incorporated DNA is
transcribed by host RNA polymerase.

 After viral genes are transcribed, the viral structural protein are
synthesized.
Capsid is produced, and new virus particles are
assembled.
For virus without envelope, the host membrane ruptured,
releasing new virus particle.
For enveloped virus, it will receive their envelope by
picking up a fragment of the host plasma membrane
(lipoprotein) as they leave the cell.

The reproductive cycle of an enveloped RNA virus

The structure of HIV, the retrovirus that causes AIDS.

The envelope glycoproteins enable the virus to bind to specific
receptors on certain white blood cells.

The reproductive cycle of HIV, a retrovirus

DNA Virus vs RNA Virus

DNA Virus

RNA Virus

Viral DNA will be replicated and

transcribed by host cell

Viral genome served as a template for

synthesis of complementary RNA strand

After transcription the viral protein are

synthesized outside of nucleus

Some complementary strands become

mRNA and will be translated

New virus particles are assembled

Viral genome RNA are made from

complementary strands

Glycoprotein spike is assembled by

picking up fragments of plasma
membrane as they leave the infected
cells

After translation, assembly and release

steps are done in proper sequence

How virus damage their host?

Animal viruses damage their host in a variety ways:

May alter the

permeability of
plasma membrane

May inhibit
synthesis of host
nucleic acid or
proteins

Damage cell by their sheer

numbers
(e.g. poliovirus produces 100,000
new viruses within a single host
cell).

Hog
cholera
Footandmouth
disease

Ebola

DISEAS
ES

AIDS

Rubella
Certain
types of
cancer
(tumor
cancer)

Disease
s
caused
by
ANIMAL
VIRUS

PLANT VIRUS
Plant cells cannot be penetrated by virus because of
the thick cell wall UNLESS the cells are damaged.
As insects e.g. aphids and leafhoppers feed on plant
tissues, they brings virus and spread it among plants.
The viruses then can be inherited by infected seed or
asexual propagation.
Once a plant cell is infected, the virus spreads through the
plant body.

Effects of Plant
Viruses
Symptoms of viral infection
includes:
reduced plant size, spots,
streaks, or mottled patterns
on leaves, flowers or fruits.

Infected crop almost produce

lower yields.
Cures are not known for most
plant viral diseases, so it is
common to burn plant that
have been infected.

VIROID AND PRIONS

Viroid and prions are smaller than virus
PRIONS

VIROID

Viroid have NO protein.

Consists of very short
strand of RNA (250-400
nucleotides).
NO protective protein coat.
Can infect plants and
animals.
May cause plant diseases by
interfering with mRNA
processing.

Prions is a protein-like
infectious pathogen without
nucleic acids.

Prions are normal proteins

that become folded
incorrectly.
May cause neurological
degenerative diseases
such as mad cow disease and
Scrapie

Terminology
CAPSID
Protects the viral genetic material and aids in the transfer between
host cells.

PROPHAGE
A viral gene that integrated in bacterial DNA and undergoes
division without destroying it.

PROVIRUS
aviralgene
thatisincorporatedintothegeneticmaterialofahostcell (animal
cell)

Q&A