DIVERSITY OF

MICROORGANISMS
ACELLULAR INFECTIOUS AGENTS
Viruses
• Virions are complete virus particles that
arevery small and simple in structure.
• Most viruses range from the size of 10 to
300 nm in diameter.
 Properties that distinguished a
virus from, a living Cells
• They possess either RNA or DNA
• Unable to replicate(multiply) on their own
• They lack the genes and enzymes necessary for
energy
production
• They usually depend on their host cell.
A typical virion consists of a genome of either DNA or
RNA, surrounded by a capsid (protein), which
composed of small protein units called capsomeres.
• Enveloped Virus – these are virus that have an outer
envelope
• Bacterial Virus – may also have tails, sheath, and tail fibers
There are no ribosomes for protein synthesis or sites of
energy production; hence, the virus must invade and take
over a functioning cell to produce new virions.
Source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Non-enveloped-and-enveloped-viruses-a-
simple-
schematic-diagram-illustrating-the_fig1_294110884
Ways of Classifying the Virus
• Type of genetic material (either DNA or
RNA)
• Shape of the capsid
• Number of capsomers
• Size of the capsomers
• Presence or absence of envelope
• Type of host it infects
• Type of disease it produces
• Target cell
• Immunologic or antigenic properties
• Viruses are categories based on the type of nucleic acid
they
possess. They are either dsDNA, dsRNA, ssRNA and
ssDNA.
• Viral genome are usually circular molecules, but
some are linear.
• Capsid viruses have various shapes and symmetry. They
may be polyhedral (many sided, also known as
icosahedron), helical (coiled tubes), bullet shaped,
spherical, or a complex combination of these shaped.
• Envelope around a capsids makes virus a virus appear
spherical
or irregular under electron micrographs.
• Envelope is derived from either the host cell’s
nuclear membrane.
• Apparently, viruses are then able to alter these
membranes by adding fibers, spikes, and knobs that
enable the virus to recognized the next host cell to be
invaded.
 BACTERIOPHAGES
• Viruses that infects bacteria. They are obligate intracellular pathogens
• They can be dsDNA phages, dsRNA phages, ssDNA phages, and
ssRNA phages.
3 Categories of Bacteriophages
• Icosahedron bacteriophages: spherical shape with 20 triangular facets.
Smallest is about 25 nm in diameter
• Filamentous bacteriophages: long tubes formed by capsid proteins
assembled into a helical structure; they can be up to about 900 nm
• Complex bacteriophages: icosahedral heads attached to helical tails;
also possess base plates and tail fibers
Source: https://ysjournal.com/bacteriophages-the-case-for-viruses-in-
treatment-
Bacteriophages can be Virulent or Temperate:
• Virulent bacteriophages (lytic cycle), which ends with
the destruction (lysis) of the bacterial cell.
1. Attachment (absorption)
2. Penetration
3. Biosynthesis
4. Release
Steps in the Multiplication of Bacteriophages
Steps Events takes place
Attachment The phage attaches to a protein or polysaccharide molecule
(receptor) on the surface of the bacterial cell
Penetration The phage injects its DNA into the bacterial cell; the capsid
remains on the outside
Biosynthesis Phages genes expressed, (production of phage pieces or parts)
Assembly Phage pieces assembled to create a complete phage
Release The complete phages escape from the bacterial cell by lysis of
the cell
Source: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/microbiology/chapter/the-viral-life-
Bacteriophages can be Virulent or Temperate:
• Temperate phages (lysogenic phages) – do not immediately
initiate the lytic cycle, but rather, their DNA remains integrated
into the bacterial cell chromosome, generation after
generation.
Source:
ANIMAL VIRUS
• Viruses that infects humans and animals
• Some are DNA viruses; others are RNA
viruses.
• Animal viruses may consist solely of
nucleic acids surrounded by a capsid, or
they may be complex.
Source: https://www.nhcoa.org/influenza-vs-covid-19-whats-the-
difference/
Steps Multiplication of Animal Viruses
1. Attachment (absorption) – animal viruses can only
attach to cells bearing the appropriate protein or
polysaccharide receptors on their surface

Viruses can only attach to and invade cells that bear a

receptor that they can recognize and attach to.
Steps Multiplication of Animal Viruses
2. Penetration – the entire virion usually enters the cell;
cell phagocytizes the virus.
3. Uncoating – whereby the viral nucleic acid escapes from
the capsid
4. Biosynthesis - whereby many viral pieces (viral nucleic
acid and viral proteins) are produced.
Steps Multiplication of Animal Viruses
5. Assembly – the viral pieces or parts are assembled to
create complete virions.
6. Release – the complete virions escape from the host cell
by lysis or budding
Source:
https://cours
es.lumenle
ar
ning.com/mi
crobiology/
c
hapter/the-
viral-life-
Viroid
• Viroids consist of short, naked
fragments of ssRNA (about 300 to 400
nucleotides in length) that can interfere
with the metabolism of plant cells and
stunt the growth of plants, sometimes
killing the plants in the process.

Potato spindle tuber, citrus exortis (stunting

of citrus trees),
and disease of chrysanthemums are
cause by viriods.
Prions
• Prions are small infectious
proteins that apparently
cause fatal neurologic
diseases in animals such
as scrapie in sheep,
bovine spongiform
encephalopathy.
Oncogenic Viruses
• Viruses that causes
cancer
:
Examples
Source:
https://www.nfid.org/infecti
ous- diseases/hpv/

Source: https://www.takarabio.com/about/bioview-blog/cancer-
research/when-
 Antiviral
• Any physical or chemical
agents that inactivate
viruses
• Nucleoside Analog
• Protease Inhibitors
• Neuraminidase Inhibitors
• Polymerase Inhibitors
• Entry Inhibitors
REFERENCE
S:• Burtons, G.R.W,. & Engelkirk, P.G (2007).
Burton’s
Microbiology: For Health Sciences 8th ed.