Viruses

What is a virus?
 Core of nucleic acid (DNA/RNA) surrounded by a _____________________

Dead or alive
 Do not display the characteristics of any living things
 Outside a host cell they are considered non living chemicals, however inside the host cell
they can replicate making them alive
 _______________________________

Typical structure of a virus (bacteriophage) Remember this is a typical

structure, there are lots of
other shapes

Difference between a bacterial cell and a virus

Bacteria has: Virus doesn’t have these, look at the
virus above
1. _____________________________
2. _____________________________
3. _____________________________

Virus replication

1. Attachment: The virus attaches to a ________________

2. Entry: The virus forms a hole in the ______________________________________________
of the host. The nucleic acid of the virus enters the host cell.
3. Synthesis: The virus’ nucleic acid is used to make new
_________________________________________________________ for the new viruses being
produced. (The host cells’ DNA becomes deactivated)
 4. Assembly: _____________________________________________________ inside the host
cell.
5. Release: The host ________________________ to release the new viruses. The bursting is
called ___________________

Disadvantages of Viruses
 Viruses cause numerous human diseases; flu, measles, rubella, smallpox, HIV, chickenpox,
herpes virus (cold sores), human papillomavirus (warts, cervical cancer) (learn one or two)
 Viruses also cause diseases in plants which will destroy the plants and have economic
disadvantages e.g. the Tobacco mosaic virus

Advantages of Viruses
 _________________________________
 Control of infections
 Biological control (important example is Myxoma Virus (Myxomatosis) used to
control the rabbit population)