Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Introduction To Virology: 1.1 Definition and Scope of Virology
Introduction To Virology: 1.1 Definition and Scope of Virology
Introduction to virology
1.1 Definition and scope of virology
– Viroids
• very small (200–400 nucleotides)
• circular RNA with a rod-like secondary structure.
• no capsid or envelope
• associated with certain plant diseases.
Introduction to virology
– Virusoids
• satellite, viroid-like molecules
• larger than Viroids
• dependent on virus replication for multiplication,
• packaged into virus capsids as passengers.
Introduction to virology
– Prions
• single type protein molecule
• no nucleic acid component.
• (confusion =prion protein and the gene that encodes it
are also found in normal ‘uninfected’ cells).
2. Virus structure and composition
• Some terminologies:
– Virion= (virus particle) a gene delivery system; containing
virus genome, and its functions are to protect the genome
and to aid its entry into a host cell
– Capsid= The protein coat that encloses the nucleic acid of a
virus
– Capsomere= A discrete component of a capsid, constructed
from several identical protein molecules
– Nuclocapsid= genome + capsid
– Envelope = A lipid bilayer and associated protein forming
the outer component of an enveloped virion
Virus structure and composition
• Virus genome
– RNA or DNA
– Single stranded or double stranded
– Four categories of genome (dsDNA, ssDNA, dsRNA
and ssRNA)
– Linear or circular, strand end
– Seven categories
Virus structure and composition
Virus structure and composition
• Virus protein
– Genome size increase- protein species
– Structural protein =component of virions
• Protection of genome
• Attachment to host cell
– Non structural protein
• Enzymes
• Transcription factors
• primer for nucleic acid replication
Virus structure and composition
• Capsids
– Protection of genome
– Recognition and attachment
– One/few protein species
– Form symmetrical structure
• Capsids with helical structure
– ssRNA viruses
– Few DNA viruses
– Length of the helix determined by length of genome
– Eg. Influenza, tobacco mosaic virus ,filamentous phages
Virus structure and composition
Virus structure and composition
– Tailed bacteriophages
» dsDNA
» Eg phage lamda, phage T4
– Conical and rod shaped capsids
» HIV-1 , baculovirus,
Virus structure and composition
Virus structure and composition
• Envelope
– Derived from host cell, undergo modification
– more than one host cells-composition vary
• Indicate the origin of the virus
• Common in animal viruses, rare in plant viruses and
very rare in prokaryotic
3. Classification
• Their function:
– acting as receptors for chemokines and growth factors
– mediating cell-to-cell contact and adhesion