HES 032 (Microbiology and

STUDENT ACTIVITY SHEET

Parasitology) BS NURSING /SECOND
YEAR Session # 2

LESSON TITLE: Microbial Diversity: Acellular Microbes Materials:

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of this lesson, the nursing student can:
1. Describe the characteristics used to classify viruses (e.g.
DNA vs. RNA);
2. List five specific properties of viruses that distinguish them
from bacteria;
3. Enumerate the replication process of viruses.
4. Cite at least three important viral diseases of humans and;
5. Discuss differences between viroid and virions, and the
diseases they cause.
Book, pen, notebook, and paper
References:
Engelkirk, P., & Engelkirk, J. (2015). Burton's
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Microbiology for the Health and Sciences. 10
ed., Philadelphia: Lipincott Williams & Wilkins
Tille, P. (2014). Bailey and Scott’s Diagnostic
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Microbiology. 13 ed., Missouri: Elsevier Inc.

LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW (5 minutes)

Daily Productivity Tip:
LastFuelsession,yourbrainwehavewith learnedHEALTHYthe importanceFOODtodayof. studyingWhatfoodmicrcomesbesandto
yourthepiomindeersat thisinmicrmoment?biology. Before we start today’s session, can you recall the two types of microbes?

Microbes that can cause disease are known as pathogens whilst microbes that do not cause disease
are called nonpathogenic organisms. .

How about the “Father of Bacteriology”? Anton Van Leeuwenhoek

Lastly, let us recall the cellular and acellular microorganisms. Acellular microbes include viruses and prions,
while cellular microbes include bacteria, archae, protozoa, algae, and fungi.

Great job! Now, you are ready for today’s session!

MAIN LESSON (40 minutes)

Evidence of viral disease exists in ancient records, dating back to as far as 23 BC, when the Eschunna Code of ancient
Mesopotamia noted “the bite of mad dogs to affect disease on humans.” Homer, author of the Iliad, characterizes Hector
as “rabid.” Aristotle’s work, The Natural History of Man, written in the fourth century BC, describes a “madness” in dogs
that “causes them to become very irritable and all mammals they bite become diseased.” What remains apparent in all
these early writings is that all writers realized the communicable nature of something unseen. These writings clearly refer
to the rabies virus, transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal.

Recall that there are two major categories of microbes: acellular and cellular. In this session, you will learn that acellular
microbes are not considered by most scientists to be living organisms because they need a host in order for them to
survive. Thus, rather than using the term microorganisms to describe them, viruses, viriods, and prions are more correctly
referred to as acellular microbes or infectious partices.

Acellular Microbes: Viruses

Complete virus particles, called virions, are very small and simple in structure. Most viruses range in size from 10 to 300
nm in diameter, although some— like Ebola virus—can be up to 1 m in length. The smallest virus is about the size of the
large hemoglobin molecule of a red blood cell. Scientists were unable to see viruses until electron microscopes were
invented in the 1930s. Viruses infect humans, animals, plants, fungi, protozoa, algae, and bacterial cells. Many human
diseases are caused by viruses like the COVID-19 disease. Viruses that infect humans and animals are collectively
referred to as animal viruses

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Viral Properties

1. The vast majority of viruses possess either DNA or RNA, unlike living cells, which possess both.
2. They are unable to replicate (multiply) on their own; their replication is directed by the viral nucleic acid once it
has been introduced into a host cell.
3. Unlike cells, they do not divide by binary fission, mitosis, or meiosis.
4. They lack the genes and enzymes necessary for energy production.
5. They depend on the ribosomes, enzymes, and metabolites (“building blocks”) of the host cell for protein and
nucleic acid production

VIRION

Virus particles, referred to as

virions, consist of two or three
parts:
-An inner nucleic acid core,
consisting of either ribonucleic
acid (RNA) or deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA)
-A protein coat that surrounds
and protects the nucleic acid
(the capsid)
-In some of the larger viruses, a
lipid-containing envelope that
surrounds the virus

Viral Replication

1. Attachment of phage to cell surface receptor

2. Penetration of the entire virus into the host cell.
3. Uncoating where the viral nucleic acid escapes from the capsid.
4. Biosynthesis resulting in the production of pieces or parts of viruses.
5. Assembly to create complete virions.
6. Release of the complete virion from the host cell by lysis or budding.

Think and Learn: Can animal viruses attach and invade cells bearing different cell receptors?

Viruses use sophisticated techniques to connect to one or more receptors in order to pass the plasma membrane and gain
access to the requisite host cell machinery.

Viral Classification

1. Type of genetic material (either DNA or RNA)

2. Shape of the capsid
3. Number of capsomeres
4. Size of the capsid
5. Presence or absence of an envelope
6. Type of host that it infects
7. Type of disease it produces
8. Target cell
9. Immunologic or antigenic properties.

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Now, you already know the different properties, classification of viruses, and how they replicate. Let us continue this
session by familiarizing the important viruses affecting humans categorized based on the genome they possess.

The genome of most viruses is either double-stranded DNA or single stranded RNA, but a few viruses possess single-stranded
DNA or double-stranded RNA.

All DNA viruses are double-stranded except Parvovirus and Circovirus.

All RNA viruses are single-stranded except Reovirus.

Think and Learn: Can viruses infect bacteria or can bacteria infect viruses? If so, what do you call them?
Viruses Infect Bacteria and call these viruses bacteriophages (which literally means “bacteria eaters”).

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TAKE A QUICK BREAK. BREATHE SLOWLY. WRITE FREELY.

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________ Poxvirus is the largest
______________________________________________________________ and most complex
______________________________________________________________ among all the viruses.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Additional information about other acellular microbes before this session ends,

Mimivirus - An extremely large double-stranded DNA virus, called Mimivirus, has been recovered from amoebas. The
virus was given the name Mimivirus because it “mimics” bacteria. It is so large that it can be observed using a standard
compound light microscope.

Plant Viruses - More than 1,000 different viruses cause plant diseases, including diseases of citrus trees, cocoa trees,
rice, barley, tobacco, turnips, cauliflower, potatoes, tomatoes, and many other fruits, vegetables, trees, and grains.

Viroid and Prions - Viroids are infectious RNA molecules that cause a variety of plant diseases. Plant diseases thought
or known to be caused by viroids include potato spindle tuber (producing small, cracked, spindle-shaped potatoes),
citrus exocortis (stunting of citrus trees), and diseases of chrysanthemums, coconut palms, and tomatoes.

Prions - are infectious protein molecules that cause a variety of animal and human diseases e.g. scrapie in sheep and
goats; bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE); “mad cow disease” and kuru, Creutzfeldt-Jakob (C-J) disease,
Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker (GSS) disease, and fatal familial insomnia in humans.

Kuru - is a disease that was once common among natives in Papua, New Guinea, where women and children ate
human brains as part of a traditional burial custom (ritualistic cannibalism). All these diseases are fatal spongiform
encephalopathies, in which the brain becomes riddled with holes (sponge like).

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(Jawetz Medical Microbiology 26 ed.)

CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING (15 minutes)

You will answer and rationalize this by yourself. This will be recorded as your quiz. One (1) point will be given to correct
answer and another one (1) point for the correct ratio. Superimpositions or erasures in you answer/ratio is not allowed.

1. Which one of the following diseases or groups of diseases is not caused by

prions? a. certain plant diseases
b. chronic wasting disease of deer and
elk c. Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease of
humans d. “mad cow disease”

ANSWER: A
RATIO: Option A is caused by viroids rather than prions. A type of viral RNA molecule that causes a number of plant
diseases.

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 2. Viruses are said to have specific properties that distinguish them from living cells. EXCEPT?
a. They are unable to replicate (multiply) on their own; their replication is directed by the viral nucleic acid once it has
been introduced into a host cell.
b. They divide by binary fission, mitosis, or meiosis.
c. They lack the genes and enzymes necessary for energy production.
d. They depend on the ribosomes, enzymes, and metabolites (“building blocks”) of the host cell for protein
and nucleic acid production.
ANSWER: B
RATIO: Option B is incorrect statement. Unlike cells, viruses do not divide by binary fission, mitosis, and meiosis.

3.The viruses that infect bacteria are known as?

a. temperate phages
b. icosahedron bacteriophages
c. virulent bacteriophages
d. bacteriophages
ANSWER: D
RATIO: Bacteriophages are more common cases of viruses invading bacteria.

4. After the virus particles are assembled, they must escape from the cell. How they escape from the cell depends on
the type of virus that it is. Some animal viruses escape by destroying the host cell, leading to cell destruction and
some of the symptoms associated with infection with that particular virus.
a. penetration
b. uncoating
c. biosynthesis
d. release
ANSWER: D
RATIO: The whole virion is released from the host cell by lysis or budding.

5. Which one of the following steps occurs during the multiplication of animal viruses, but not during the multiplication of
bacteriophages?
a. assembly
b. biosynthesis
c. penetration
d. uncoating
ANSWER: C
RATIO: The complete virus penetrated the host cell.

RATIONALIZATION ACTIVITY (THIS WILL BE DONE DURING THE FACE TO FACE INTERACTION)
The instructor will now rationalize the answers to the students. You can now ask questions and debate
among yourselves. Write the correct answer and correct/additional ratio in the space provided.

1. ANSWER:
RATIO:

2. ANSWER:
RATIO:

3. ANSWER:
RATIO:

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4. ANSWER:
RATIO:

5. ANSWER:
RATIO:

LESSON WRAP-UP (5 minutes)

You will now mark (encircle) the session you have finished today in the tracker below. This is simply a visual to help
you track how much work you have accomplished and how much work there is left to do.

You are done with the session! Let’s track your progress.

Exit Ticket: One-minute paper

a. How do you feel about today’s session? __ Happy __ Satisfied __ Sad __ Confused
I really feel confused in today’s session because I wasn’t able to understand some of the topics.

b. What question(s) do you have as we end this session?

I don’t have any questions as of now. The topic I was confused of might be in references and supplementary
videos provided.

Reading Assignment: For the next session, please read chapter 3, 4, and 5 of Burton’s Microbiology for the Health
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Sciences, 10 Ed.
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