Nitish Goel

19b030017
BB 101 ASSIGNMENT - 2 D3/T5

VIRUS IS KNOW AS INERT PARTICLE / LIVE ORGANISM

Viruses are almost the smallest biological particle (the tiniest are only 20 nm in diameter).
However, they are not biological organisms so they are not classified in any kingdom of living
things. They do not have any organelles and cannot respire or perform metabolic functions.
Viruses are merely strands of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protective protein coat called a
capsid. Viruses only come to life when they have invaded a cell. Outside of a host cell,
viruses are completely inert.
When it comes into contact with a host cell, a virus can insert its genetic material into its host,
literally taking over the host's functions. An infected cell produces more viral protein and genetic
material instead of its usual products. Some viruses may remain dormant inside host cells for
long periods, causing no obvious change in their host cells (a stage known as the lysogenic
phase). But when a dormant virus is stimulated, it enters the lytic phase: new viruses are
formed, self-assemble, and burst out of the host cell, killing the cell and going on to infect other
cells.

THE REPLICATION CYCLE OF RETROVIRUS

1. A retrovirus has a membrane containing glycoproteins, which are able to bind to a receptor
protein on a host cell. There are two strands of RNA within the cell that have three enzymes:
protease, reverse transcriptase, and integrase.
2. The first step of replication is the binding of the glycoprotein to the receptor protein.
3. Once these have been bound, the cell membrane degrades, becoming part of the host cell,
and the RNA strands and enzymes enter the cell.
4. Within the cell, reverse transcriptase creates a complementary strand of DNA from the
retrovirus RNA and the RNA is degraded; this strand of DNA is known as cDNA.
5. The cDNA is then replicated, and the two strands form a weak bond and enter the nucleus.
6. Once in the nucleus, the DNA is integrated into the host cell's DNA with the help of integrase.
7. This cell can either stay dormant, or RNA may be synthesized from the DNA and used to
create the proteins for a new retrovirus.
8. Ribosome units are used to translate the mRNA of the virus into the amino acid sequences
which can be made into proteins in the rough endoplasmic reticulum. This step will also make
viral enzymes and capsid proteins.
9. Viral RNA will be made in the nucleus. These pieces are then gathered together and are
pinched off of the cell membrane as a new retrovirus.