INTRODUCTION TO MEDICAL

VIROLOGY

Department of Medical Microbiology and Clinical Immunology

2019-2020
By

Assistant professor Dr. Salema R.M. Qowaider

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 Introduction to virology
Viruses are uniquely different from the many uni-cellular micro-organisms you have
studied so far.
Viruses are not cells. They are very simple structures consisting essentially of a
nucleic acid genome, protected by a shell of protein. They are metabolically inert and
can only replicate once they are inside a host cell.
The genome consists of only one type of nucleic acid: either RNA or DNA. Most DNA
viruses are double stranded and most RNA viruses have a single stranded.
Only viruses have genetic material composed of single-stranded DNA or of single-
stranded or double-stranded RNA. The nucleic acid can be either linear or circular.
The DNA is always a single molecule; the RNA can exist either as a single molecule or
in several pieces. For example, both influenza virus and rotavirus have a segmented
RNA genome. Almost all viruses contain only a single copy of their genome (i.e., they
are haploid). The exception is the retrovirus family, whose members have two copies
of their RNA genome (i.e., they are diploid).
Definitive Properties of Viruses:

1. Viruses are obligate intracellular molecular parasites, which are very small and
infectious (Viruses range from 20 to 300 nm in diameter; this corresponds roughly to
a range of sizes from that of the largest protein to that of the smallest cell).

2. The virus genome is composed either of DNA or RNA.

3. The virus genome directs the synthesis of virion components within an appropriate
host cell.

4. Progeny virus particles are produced by the assembly of newly made viral
components.

5. Progeny virus particles spread infection to new cells.

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 Virus structure

1. CAPSID ;the protein shell that encloses the nucleic acid.. It is built up of multiple
(identical) protein sub-units called capsomers . Capsids are either icosahedral or
tubular in shape
It protects nucleic acids from destruction and enzymatic hydrolysis
In non-enveloped viruses it provides binding sites that enable virus to attach specific
host receptors.
Outer viral proteins are also important antigens that induce neutralizing antibody and
activate cytotoxic T cells to kill virus-infected cells. These outer viral proteins not only
induce antibodies, but are also the target of antibodies
2. CAPSOMERS are morphological units seen on the surface of particles and represent
clusters of structure units.
3. STRUCTURE UNITS are the smallest functional equivalent building units of the capsid.

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 The advantage of building the virus particle from identical protein subunits is :

a. It reduces the need for genetic information

b. It promotes self-assembly (i.e., no enzyme or energy is required).

4. NUCLEOCAPSID ;the capsid together with its enclosed nucleic acid The nucleocapsid
may be invested in an ENVELOPE which may contain material of host cell as well as
viral origin.
5. Virion is the complete infective virus particle
It helps in transfer the viral nucleic acids from one cell to another, but have no
metabolism
6. Envelope = lipid membrane which surrounds some viruses. It is derived from the
plasma membrane of the host cell. The viral envelope is acquired as the virus exits
from the cell in a process called “budding”. The envelope of most viruses is derived
from the cell’s outer membrane, with the notable exception of herpesviruses that
derive their envelope from the cell’s nuclear membrane. In general, the presence of
an envelope confers instability on the virus. Enveloped viruses are more sensitive to
heat, drying, detergents, and lipid solvents such as alcohol and ether than are
nonenveloped (nucleocapsid) viruses, which are composed only of nucleic acid and
capsid proteins.
7. Peplomers [ spikes ] = proteins found in the envelope of the virion. They are usually
glycosylated and are thus more commonly known as glycoproteins. It mediates the
attachment of virus to host cell receptors
8. Tegument Some viruses contain regulatory proteins in the virion in a structure
called the tegument, which is located between the nucleocapsid and the envelope.
These regulatory proteins include transcription and translation factors that control
either viral or cellular processes. Members of the herpesvirus family, such as herpes
simplex virus and cytomegalovirus, have a prominent, well-characterized tegument
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 ATYPICAL VIRUS-LIKE AGENTS
1. Satellite or Defective Viruses. Viruses which require a second virus
(helper virus) for replication, because it lacks one or more functional genes. Hepatitis
delta virus is the major human pathogen example. It requires the presence of
hepatitis B virus to complete its replication cycle.
2. Pseudovirions contain host cell DNA instead of viral DNA within the capsid. They are
formed during infection with certain viruses when the host cell DNA is fragmented
and pieces of it are incorporated within the capsid protein. Pseudovirions can infect
cells, but they do not replicate.
3. Viroids consist solely of a single molecule of circular RNA without a protein coat or
envelope. There is extensive homology between bases in the viroid RNA, leading to
large double-stranded regions. The RNA is quite small (molecular weight 1 × 105) and
apparently does not code for any protein. Nevertheless, viroids replicate, but the
mechanism is unclear. They cause several plant diseases but are not implicated in any
human disease.
4. Prions are infectious particles that are composed solely of protein (i.e., they contain
no detectable nucleic acid). They are implicated as the cause of certain “slow”
diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which include such
diseases as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans and scrapie in sheep. Because
neither DNA nor RNA has been detected in prions, they are clearly different from
viruses (Table 28–1). Prions are much more resistant to inactivation by ultraviolet
light and heat than are viruses.

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Classification of viruses
Viral classification has been confusing and oft-changing over the years. In the
past, viruses were often classified by host, target organ or vector and these are
still used vernacularly (e.g., the hepatitis viruses). Modern classification is based
on the following three characteristics:
A. Type of viral nucleic acid (RNA or DNA, single-stranded or double stranded)
and its replication strategy.
RNA viruses: Almost all RNA viruses contain single-stranded
RNA. Exceptions include the Reoviridae (e.g., rotaviruses) which
contain double-stranded RNA. Other RNA viruses can be broadly
subdivided as follows:
 Viruses with positive strand (+) RNA genomes – i.e., genomes
of the same polarity as mRNA. Viruses in this category include
picornaviruses and caliciviruses. In addition, retroviruses
contain two copies of +RNA, although they replicate by a unique
mechanism.
 Viruses with negative strand (-) RNA genomes – i.e., genomes
of opposite polarity to mRNA. Most viruses in this category have
helical capsids.
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 B. Capsid symmetry (icosahedral or helical)

Icosahedral resembling crystal with several surfaces, several angles and more than one
axis of symmetry

Helical; the genome is arranged in a spiral with capsomeres arranged around it in a ribbon
like.

Complex; complicated structure, e.g. poxvirus

C. Presence or absence of lipid envelope

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 DNA VIRUSES

`Family PoxviridaeHerpesvirdae AdenoviridaePapoviridaeParvoviridaeHepadnaviridae

Genome dsDNA dsDNA dsDNA dsDNA ssDNA dsDNA

linear linear linear linear
Circular Circular

Capsid Complex
Icosahedral
Symmetry

Envelope
+ + - - - +
Examples -Vaccinia Herpes simplex Adenovirus Papilloma Adeno- Hepatitis B virus

-Pox virus CMV Virus Associated

EBV Polyomavirus Virus

VZ

All DNA viruses are dsDNA EXCEPT Parvoviridae

All DNA viruses are icosahedral EXCEPT Poxviridae

All DNA viruses replicate in the nucleus EXCEPT Poxviridae

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‫‪RNA VIRUSES‬‬

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All RNA[+] viruses are single segment of ssRNA EXCEPT
Retroviridae double segments of ssRNA

All RNA[+] viruses are Icosahedral EXCEPT Coronaviridae

All RNA viruses replicate in the cytoplasm EXCEPT Retroviridae

ALL RNA[-] VIRUSES ARE ssRNA EXCEPT Reoviridae

ALL RNA[-] VIRUSES ARE HELICAL EXCEPT Reoviridae
All RNA viruses replicate in the cytoplasm EXCEPT Retroviridae
All helical viruses are enveloped

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