Module 17: Lesson 2

Viruses and Prions

 Focus Question

How are viruses classified? Are they alive?

 New Vocabulary

virus
capsid
lytic cycle
lysogenic cycle
retrovirus
prion
 Review Vocabulary

protein: large, complex polymer composed of carbon,

hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sometimes sulfur
 Viruses

A virus is a nonliving strand of genetic material

within a protein coat. Scientists do not consider
viruses alive because they:
• Have no organelles to take in nutrients or use
energy
• Cannot make proteins
• Cannot move
• Cannot replicate on their own
 Viruses

• Viruses are some of the smallest disease-causing

structures.
• Viruses range from 5-300 nanometers.
• They most likely came from parts of cells.
• Viral DNA is similar to cellular genes.
 Viruses

• The outside layer of all viruses, which is made

of proteins, is called the capsid.
• Inside the capsid is the genetic material,
either DNA or RNA (never both).
Viruses
 Viruses

• In order to replicate, a virus must enter a host

cell.
• The virus attaches to the host cell using specific
receptors on the plasma membrane.
• After the genetic material is inside the host cell,
the virus uses the cell to replicate by either the
lytic or lysogenic cycle.
Viruses
 Viruses

• In the lytic cycle, the host cell makes many copies

of the viral RNA or DNA.
• The viral genes instruct the host cells to make
more viral protein capsids and enzymes.
• Viruses leave the cell by exocytosis or by causing
the cell to burst.
 Viruses

• In the lysogenic cycle, viral DNA integrates

into a chromosome in a host cell.
• Viral genes may remain dormant for some
time.
• Activated viral genes result in the lytic cycle.
 Retroviruses

• Retroviruses have RNA instead of DNA for

their genetic material.
• They have a lipid envelope surrounding the
capsid obtained from the plasma membrane
of a host cell.
• In the host cytoplasm, reverse transcriptase
synthesizes DNA from RNA template; DNA
integrates into the host chromosome until
activated.
Retroviruses
 Prions

• A protein that can cause infection or disease

is called a proteinaceous infectious particle,
or prion.
• Prions normally exist in cells, but their
function is poorly understood.
• Normally spiral shaped
• Mutations cause incorrect folding,
mutated prions cause diseases
 Prions

• Examples of diseases caused by prions are:

• Mad cow disease (cattle)
• Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, also called CJD
(humans)
• Scrapie (sheep)
• Chronic wasting disease (deer and elk)
 Prions

• In CJD, prions infect nerve

cells in the brain, causing
them to burst.
• This results in spaces in
the brain, called
spongiform
encephalopathy (sponge-
like brain disease).
• Some scientists think that
prions can be transmitted
across species.
 Quiz

1. Viruses contain which substances?

A genetic material and a capsid CORRECT

B a nucleus, genetic material, and a capsid

C a nucleus, genetic material, a capsid, and

ribosomes

D a nucleus, genetic material, a capsid,

ribosomes, and a plasma membrane
 Quiz

2. Imagine that a patient in a hospital has died mysteriously.

A doctor suspects that the cause of death is Creutzfeldt-
Jakob disease. How could this diagnosis be confirmed?

A by examining the blood C by examining the brain

to see if there is a high to see if there are a lot
viral count of spaces in the tissue
CORRECT

B by asking the patient’s family D by examining nerve

and friends if the patient cells to see if they have
consumed a lot of meat been affected by a
bacterial neurotoxin
 Quiz

3. Which statement about prions is true?

A Prions are renegade C Prion-based diseases

pieces of RNA that affect only cows.
infect cells.

B Prions are infectious D Prions are a newly

proteins. discovered type of
CORRECT genetic material.
 Quiz

4. HIV is a retrovirus. What does this mean?

A Viral RNA is used to C Protein is made

make DNA. directly from viral RNA.
CORRECT

B Viral DNA is used to D Protein is made

make RNA. directly from viral DNA.
 Quiz

5. Which labeled structure represents

the genetic material of a virus?

A A C C
CORRECT

B B D D
 Quiz

6. Which structure represents the

capsid of a virus?

A A C C

B B D D
CORRECT