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CONTENTS

1. Introduction

4. Virology

2. Virus Structure

5. Virus and Medicine

3. Virus Replication

6. Review

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Introduction Structure Replication Virology Medicine - Review

We have all gotten viruses

from bacteria, plants to animals.
Viruses cause colds, flu, warts and diseases
such as measles, AIDS and cancer.

BUT not all viruses cause diseases,

AND not all viruses are harmful to humans.
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Introduction Structure Replication Virology Medicine - Review

WHAT IS A VIRUS?

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Introduction Structure Replication Virology Medicine Review

A VIRUS is either DNA or RNA, that is protected by a protein

coat called a CAPSID.

DNA

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CAPSID

VIRUS
Introduction Structure Replication Virology Medicine - Review

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Why are some viruses harmful?

Virus invades cell

Virus forces cell to make copies of virus

When your cells

make viruses
instead of
operating normally,
YOU get sick

Eventually so many copies are

made, the cell explodes,
releasing all of the new viruses

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Introduction Structure Replication Virology Medicine - Review

Examples of some viral diseases:

DISEASE

VIRUSES

AIDS

HIV

Wart
Flu
Measles
Cancer

Herpes Simplex
Virus
Influenza
Morbillivirus

Hepatitis B

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Introduction Structure Replication Virology Medicine - Review

Who do viruses infect?

Viruses usually infect a specific host including:

Viruses infect Bacteria

These viruses are called bacteriophages

Viruses infect Plants

One example is the Tobacco Mosaic Virus

Viruses infect Animals

One example is the common cold
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Introduction Structure Replication Virology Medicine - Review

Lets look at the Defining

Properties of Viruses
Viruses are parasites that invade cells
Viruses have either DNA (Deoxyribose Nucleic
Acid) or RNA (Ribonucleic Acid)
Viruses direct the synthesis of new virus within
a host cell.
Newly made viruses infect other cells.

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Introduction Structure Replication Virology Medicine - Review

Cell Biology

Let's review a little cell biology since viruses cannot multiply without the help
of cells. The viruses enter the cell and forces the cell to make more viruses.

nucleus

The cell has three main zones:

Nucleus this holds the
DNA or genetic
information about the
cell.
Cytoplasm this is the
factory where biochemical
reactions occur.
Membrane this double layer
protects the cell and allows the
cell to communicate with the
outside environment.

cytoplasm

membrane

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Introduction Structure Replication Virology Medicine - Review

DNA/RNA
DNA or RNA code for genes that defines who we are.

DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, is

the double-stranded molecule
that encodes genetic
information (e.g. your hair color,
height, etc.) in the nucleus of
cells. The complete set of DNA
in a cell is called the genome.
RNA, ribonucleic acid, is
typically single stranded so that
it can be read to make proteins.

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How small is a virus?

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Introduction Structure Replication Virology Medicine - Review

Viruses range in size from 20 nanometers (nm) 250 nanometers (nm)

1 nm = 0.00000004 inches

atom
proteins

If a cell was the size of your classroom, then an average virus would
be the size of a softball.

viruses

0m

animal
cells

bacteria

10-6 m

10-5 m

10-7 m
10-8 m
10-9 m

Go five more feet!

10-10 m

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Helical Capsids

RNA

Helical capsids are rodlike structures with the

RNA in the center of the
helix. A helix is made by
stacking repeating units in
a spiral.

protein coat
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Introduction Structure Replication Virology Medicine - Review

Tobacco Mosaic Virus

Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) is an example of a virus with a helical

structure. Protein subunits wrap around the spiraling RNA strand.

This image taken using an Electron Microscope

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Adenovirus
Adenoviruses cause diseases like pink-eye or the common cold

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Bacteriophage
Bacteriophage is a virus that infects bacteria.

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Introduction Structure Replication Virology Medicine - Review

Enveloped Viruses
Enveloped viruses are viruses which have a membrane coat
surrounding the protein coat or capsid. These viruses are common
in animal viruses, but are uncommon in plant viruses.

Herpes Simplex Virus.

A membrane (made of proteins)
surrounds the capsid (also made of
proteins) which surrounds the viral
DNA.
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How do viruses replicate?

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Replication Phases
I, II, III - Viruses enter cell
-

Attachment to cell membrane

Penetration inside cell
Losing virus protein coat

Phase I

IV - Replication
-

Tricks cell into making

more viral DNA
Tricks cell into
making viral protein
coat

V - Release
-

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Assembly of virus
DNA and protein
coat into whole
new viruses
Leaving the cell

Phase II

Phase III

Phase IV

Phase V

http://www.cat.cc.md.us/courses/bio141/lecguide/unit2/viruses/adlyt.html

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The concept of a virus as an organism

challenges the way we define life:

*
*
*
*

Viruses do not breathe.

Viruses do not metabolize.
Viruses do not grow.
However, they do reproduce.

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Introduction Structure Replication Virology Medicine - Review

Are Viruses Living?

Create a table where one column represent properties of living
organisms and the second column represent properties of a virus.

Properties of Living
Organisms

Properties of Viruses

Breathes (respires)

Doesnt breathe

Metabolizes

Doesnt metabolize

Grows

Doesnt grow

Reproduces

Reproduces

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Introduction Structure Replication Virology Medicine - Review

A Brief History of Virology

1898
1880 Germ Theory
100BC China
Protection from smallpox
using variolation practice

~1400BC
First written record of
virus infections in
heiroglyphics found in
Memphis, Eygpt

Robert Koch & Louis Pasteur

Pasteur identified rabies to be
cause by an agent he termed
virus from the Latin for poison.

Martinus Beijerinick
work on TMV
Freidrich Loeffler &
Paul Frosch work on
foot-and-mouth
disease in cattle

1796 Vaccination

1892 beginning
of virology

Edward Jenner
vaccinated a boy with
cowpox-infected
material

Dmitri Iwanowski showed

that ceramic filtered
extracts from diseased
plants could transmit
disease to other plants.

1915-1917
Bacteriophages
(eaters of
bacteria)Frederick
Twort & Felix
dHerelle discovered
viruses which infect
bacteria.

1909

1950-2003

Landsteiner &
Popper

Discoveries of
Ebola, West
Nile, HIV, SARS

Poliomyelitis (Yellow
Fever) was the first
human disease to be
recognized as a viral
disease

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Techniques to Study Viruses

X-ray Crytallography X-rays are
directed at a sample. How those rays
scatter can be used to determine the
structure of that sample

Atomic Force Microscope A tiny tip

probes a surface, from which the shape
of the surface can be determined
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Sedimentary
Centrifugation A
sample is spun so fast,
different elements in
it are separated by
density
Filters Very
small holes in
material filter only
viruses through
Electron Microscope
Electrons are smaller
than light wavelengths,
so viruses can be
seen by reflecting
electrons off of them
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Viruses Can Help Cells, Too

- Since viruses can transport DNA and RNA
into cells, scientists are exploring Gene
Therapy
- In Gene Therapy, viral genetic material is
replaced with new DNA
- In time, this could be used to cure genetic
diseases. Currently we have no cure for
these types of illnesses
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The End! And Review

Viruses are very simple: a shell containing
either DNA or RNA.
They infect by hijacking cells machinery to
force them to make more viruses.
Viruses are tiny, even compared to a cell.
Some viruses may prove useful in gene
therapy as natural carriers of DNA that was
specially designed to be good for a particular
reason.
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The End

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VIRUS
A living thing
that
provides a
A tiny, nonliving that invades
source of
energy for a and then multiplies inside of a
virus or an cell.
organism

A virus that immediately goes into

action. It begins to take over cell
functions and produce the viruss proteins
and genetic material.These parts then
assemble into new viruses. The viruses
multiply like a copy machine left on.
When it is full it bursts open releases
the new viruses and dies.

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Organisms
that live on
or near a
host and
cause it
harm.

Some viruses hide for a while

and become part of the cells
genetic material. It may stay
inactive and hidden for years.
Then under certain conditions it
becomes active and acts like an
active virus. Ex cold sores
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- Viruses

How Viruses Multiply

Active viruses enter cells and
immediately begin to multiply, leading to
the quick death of the invaded cells.

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- Viruses

How Viruses Multiply

Hidden viruses hide for a while inside host
cells before becoming active.

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- Viruses

Active and Hidden Viruses

Activity

Click the Active Art button to open a

browser window and access Active Art
about active and hidden viruses.
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- Viruses

Deadly Virus

Click the Video button to watch a movie

about deadly viruses.
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- Viruses, Bacteria, and Your Health

Common Viral Diseases

Unlike with bacterial diseases, there are
currently no medications that can cure viral
infections.

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