Chapter 13
Viruses, Viroids, and
Prions
Biology 1009
Microbiology
Johnson-Summer 2003
Viruses
Virology-study of viruses
Characteristics:
acellular
obligate intracellular parasites
no ribosomes or means of protein
synthesis
no ATP generating system
NOT ALIVE!
Typical Viruses
Two parts:
1) Nucleic acid
either DNA or RNA (never both) 2)
2) Capsid (protein coat)
Some capsids surrounded by
envelopes
Viral Size
*20-14000 nm
*Need electron
microscope
to view
Host Range
Variety of host cells that a virus can infect
Specific viruses often have narrow host
range
Some viruses only infect:
plants
invertebrates
protozoans
fungi
bacteria
Host/Virus Interaction
Host range is determined by the
viruses ability to interact with
host cell
Binding sites on viral capsid or
envelope combine with receptor
sites on host cell membrane
Viral Structure
Nucleic acid-DNA or RNA
Capsid (coat protein)
Function:
Subunits:
Some have envelopes
made of lipids, proteins, and carbs
contain spikes-binding sites that help
attach viruses to host/aid in viral ID
Viral Morphology
Viral Morphology
Viral Morphology
Viral Morphology
Viral Classification
Based on one of the following:
nucleic acid
morphology
strategy of replication
Isolation and Cultivation
of Viruses
Viruses must be grown in living
cultures
Bacteriophages:
easiest viruses to grow in the lab
Growing Bacteriophages
Prepare a spread plate (lawn) of
bacteria
Add bacteriophages
As virus replicates, bacteria in
area destroyed, leaving a clear
zone known as ________________.
Growing Animal Viruses
Three methods:
Living animals
Chicken embryos
Cell culture
Primary cell lines
Diploid cell lines
Continuous cell lines
Viroids
Viroids:
infectious pieces of naked RNA
cause plant diseases
300-400 nucleotides long
closed, folded 3 D shape
Prions
Infectious proteins
1st discovered in the 1980s
Diseases:
Mad cow
Creutzfeldt-Jakob
Chronic wasting
holes form in brain tissue
Viral Replication
One virion may enter host and
produce 1000s of viruses
Viruses lack necessary
enzymes for ATP/protein
synthesis
Utilizes host metabolic
machinery
Replication of
Bacteriophages
Two mechanisms:
Lytic cycle
Lysogenic cycle
Lytic Cycle
Five steps:
1) Attachment: binding sites must match
receptor sites on host bacterial cell
2) Penetration: viral DNA is injected into
bacterial cell
3) Biosynthesis: virus uses host cells
enzymes and machinery
*genome replication
*transcription
*translation
Bacteriophage Replication
Lytic Cycle
Lytic Cycle (continued)
4) Maturation: viral particles are assembled
5) Release: lysis occurs
Bacteriophage Replication
Lytic Cycle
Lysogenic Cycle
1) Attachment
2) Penetration
3) Integration: viral genome
integrated into host cell
genome
*virus is latent
*prophage
Lysogenic Cycle
(continued)
4) Biosynthesis: viral genome
activated
*genome replication
*transcription
*translation
5) Assembly
6) Release: lysis
Lysogenic Convergence
Results when a bacterial cell
infected by a virus that has
entered the lysogenic cycle
Examples:
Corynebacterium diptheria
Clostridium botulinum
Streptococcus pyogenes (may cause
scarlet fever if lysogenic convergence
occurs
Lytic vs Lysogenic Cycle
Animal Virus Replication
1) Attachment: binding sites
must match receptor sites on
host cell
2) Penetration: endocytosis
occurs and entire virus enters
cell
3) Uncoating: separation of the
viral genome from the capsid
Animal Virus Replication
(continued)
4) Biosynthesis
*genome replication
*transcription
*translation
5) Maturation: virus particles
assembled
6) Release: lysis
Enveloped Virus
Replication
1) Attachment
2) Penetration
3) Uncoating
4) Biosynthesis
5) Maturation: assembly
6) Release: budding
Retro Viruses
Unique
1975
RNA-----> DNA---->mRNA---->protein
utilizes reverse transcriptase
Normal virus
DNA---->mRNA------>protein
Central Dogma of Molecular Genetics
Retro Viruses
Include many cancer causing
viruses
HIV
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
causes AIDS
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
HIV
Leads to AIDS
results in immune system failure
death usually results from
opportunistic infection
(pneumonia)
HIV-discovered in 1984
HIV Structure
Retro virus
RNA nucleic acid (two strands)
envelope (gp 120 binding sites)
reverse transcriptase
HIV Infection (cellular
level)
1) Attachment:
*HIV gp 120 binding sites must
match CD4 receptor sites
CD4 receptor sites
a) macrophages
b) CNS cells
c) T4 helper cells (CD4 cells)
HIV Infection
(continued)
2) Penetration: viral membrane fuses with
host cell membrane
3) Uncoating: capsid removed and viral
genome exposed
4) Integration: viral genome enters host
Two possibilities:
a) nothing-virus remains latent
b) HIV genome expressed or turned on
HIV infection
(continued)
If HIV genome turned on--->
death usually results within 2 yrs
What causes HIV genome to be
turned on?
stress
alcohol/drug abuse
nutrition
exercise
Now that HIV genome in
turned on.
5) Biosynthesis:
*genome replication
*transcription
*translation
6) Maturation: viral particles put
together
7) Release: by budding
Methods of HIV
Transmission
HIV transmitted by exposure to
infected body fluids
Four body fluids
________________
________________
________________
______________
Ways in which infected fluids can
be transferred from one person to
another?
High
risk sexual contact
Contaminated needles
Blood to blood contact
Mother to child
The Immune System and
HIV
Cellular Response
cells phagocytize microorganisms
Humoral Response
antibodies destroy or inactive
microorganisms
Clinical Stages of HIV
Infection
1) Acute Infection
*Initial infection of HIV
(exposure to infected body
fluids)
*Viremia:
*May last for a couple of weeks
*Normal CD4 count_____________
Clinical Stages of HIV
(continued)
2) Asymptomatic Disease
*CD4 count now less than_______
*Virus latent inside CD4 cells
*Average latency=
*No signs/symtoms of illness
*HIV positive-antibodies
detected in blood
Clinical Stages of HIV
(continued)
3) Symptomatic Disease
*CD4 cell count________________
*viral genome turned on
*symptoms appear: chronic fatigue,
fever, diarrhea, weight loss
*Susceptible to infections: bacterial
pneumonia, meningitis, TB, yeast
infections
HIV Stages of
Infection(continued)
4) Advanced Disease (AIDS)
CD4 cell count ______________
*Severe opportunistic infections
-Pneumocystic carini pneumonia
-Kaposis sarcoma (cancer)
-Cryptosporidiosis (GI tract)
-Toxoplasmosis (brain)
-other bacterial, fungal, viral infections
Testing for HIV
ELISA-enzyme linked
immunosorbant assay
tests for HIV antibodies
after two positives, test for viral
antigens completed
Western blot
tests for HIV viral antigens
HIV Treatment
NO CURE
AZT (azidothymidine)
inhibits reverse transcriptase
AIDS cocktail
AZT, 3TC, and a protease inhibitor
HIV Vaccine
NONE AVAILABLE
HIV mutates too quickly
reverse transcriptase forms at
least 1 mutation each time it is
used
1 million variants during
asymptomatic stage
100 million variants during AIDS
