Chapter 13: Viruses

• Viruses contain DNA or RNA

• And a protein coat,

• Some are enclosed by an envelope

• May have spikes protruding from envelope

• Most viruses infect only specific types of cells in one
host

• Host range is determined by specific host attachment

sites and cellular factors
Viruses

Figure 13.1
Polyhedral Viruses

• Causes human respiratory

and gastrointestinal diseases
Figure 13.2a, b
Helical Viruses

Causes systemic infection often

with hemorrhagic fever

Figure 13.4a, b
Complex Viruses

Figure 13.5a
 Viral Taxonomy
• Family names end in -viridae

• Genus names end in -virus

• A group of viruses sharing the same genes and

ecological niche (host). Common names are used for
species

• Subspecies are designated by a number

 Viral Taxonomy
• Family : Herpesviridae
• Genus: Simplexvirus
• Species/Subspecies: Human herpes virus 1,
HHV 2, HHV 3

• Family: Retroviridae
• Genus: Lentivirus
• Species/Subspecies: Human
Immunodeficiency Virus 1, HIV 2
 Growing Viruses
• Viruses must be
grown in living
cells.

• infect bacteria,
and form plaques
on a lawn of
bacteria.

Figure 13.6
 Growing Viruses
• Animal viruses may
be grown
• in living animals

• In embryonated
eggs

• or in cell culture.

Figure 13.7
 Growing Viruses
• Animal (and plant) viruses may be grown in

• Continuous cell lines may be maintained

indefinitely.

Figure 13.8
 Virus Identification

• I.e. inclusion bodies in cells infected with the rabies

virus
• Serological tests
• Detect antibodies against viruses in a patient

• Use antibodies to identify viruses

• Western blot

• Viral nucleic acids: RFLPs, PCR

Virus Identification – a cytopathic effect

Figure 13.9
 Viral Multiplication
• Viruses require host cell “machinery” for replication

• Some viruses have some of their own enzymes: mainly

for viral nucleic acid replication

• Most, if not all, enzymes come from host cell

• These enzymes are involved in building new virions

 Multiplication of Bacteriophages (Lytic Cycle)

• Phage causes lysis and death of

host cell
• Attachment Phage attaches by tail fibers to
host cell
• Penetration Phage lysozyme opens cell wall;
DNA is then “injected” into cell
• Biosynthesis Production of phage DNA
and proteins
• Maturation Assembly of phage particles
• Release Phage lysozyme breaks cell wall
 Bacterial Bacterial Capsid DNA
cell wall chromosome
Capsid

Sheath
Tail fiber
1 Attachment: Tail
Base plate
Phage attaches
to host cell. Pin
Cell wall
Plasma membrane

2 Penetration:
Phage penetrates
host cell and
injects its DNA. Sheath contracted

Tail core

3 Biosynthesis:
phage DNA directs
synthesis of viral
components by
host cell.
Figure 13.10.1
 Tail
DNA

4 Maturation:
Viral components
are assembled into Capsid
virions.

5 Release:
Host cell lyses and
new virions are Tail fibers
released.

Figure 13.10.2
The Lysogenic Cycle: Phage DNA incorporated into host DNA

Figure 13.12
 Specialized Transduction
Prophage gal gene Bacterial DNA

1 Prophage exists in galactose-using host

(containing the gal gene).
Galactose-positive
donor cell gal gene
2 Phage genome excises, carrying
with it the adjacent gal gene from
the host.

gal gene 3 Phage matures and cell lyses, releasing

phage carrying gal gene.

4 Phage infects a cell that cannot utilize

galactose (lacking gal gene).
Galactose-negative
recipient cell
5 Along with the prophage, the bacterial gal
gene becomes integrated into the new
host’s DNA.

6 Lysogenic cell can now metabolize

galactose.
Galactose-positive recombinant cell
Figure 13.13
 Multiplication of Animal viruses
• Attachment Viruses attach to cell membrane

• Penetration By endocytosis or fusion

• Uncoating By viral or host enzymes

• Biosynthesis Production of nucleic acid and proteins

• Maturation Nucleic acid and capsid proteins

assemble
• Release By budding (enveloped viruses) or rupture
Attachment, Penetration, and Uncoating

Figure 13.14
Release of an enveloped virus by budding

Figure 13.20
 Nonenveloped DNA virus
•
• Can cause cancer (cervical cancer)
• Hand warts
• Genital warts
• Sexually transmitted

• Respiratory infections in humans

• Usually sudden onset and short duration
• Tumors in animals
 Enveloped DNA virus

• Can cause chronic liver disease

• Can lead to liver cancer
• Body fluid transmisson

• Human Herpes Virus 1 and HHV 2 – “cold sores” and

genital herpes
• Sexually transmitted
• Other direct contact transmission
 Enveloped DNA virus
• Varicella-Zoster virus (HHV 3) –

• Chicken pox is initial infection

• Shingles may occur later
• Contracted by inhaling virus

• Epstein-Barr virus (HHV 4) – Infectious Mononucleosis

• Saliva transmission
• Burkitt’s lymphoma in African children

Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings

 Multiplication of a Retrovirus
Reverse Capsid
transcriptase Envelope

Virus Two identical strands of RNA

1 Retrovirus penetrates
Host host cell.
cell
DNA of one of the host
cell’s chromosomes
5 Mature
retrovirus
leaves host Reverse
cell, acquiring transcriptase
an envelope as
it buds out.
Viral RNA 2 Its RNA is
Identical
uncoated; reverse
strands of
transcription takes
RNA
place.
4 Transcription of the
provirus may also occur,
Viral proteins producing RNA for new
retrovirus genomes and
RNA that codes for the
RNA
retrovirus capsid and
envelope proteins.
3 The new viral DNA is
tranported into the host cell’s
nucleus and integrated as a
provirus. The provirus may
divide indefinitely with the
host cell DNA.
Provirus

Figure 13.19
 Retroviruses – enveloped RNA viruses
• Use reverse transcriptase to produce DNA from
RNA viral genome

• HIV - AIDS

• Oncogenic viruses
• Some retroviruses can cause cancer
 Cancer
• The genetic material of oncogenic viruses becomes
integrated into the host cell's DNA.

• “transform” normal cells into

cancerous cells.

• An oncovirus can promote oncogene expression

• may contain oncogenes

 Viral Infections

• Virus remains in host cell for long periods,

asymptomatically
• Subsequent activation may lead to: i.e. cold
sores, shingles

• Persistent Viral Infections

• Disease progresses over a long period, generally
fatal
• Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, SSPE
(measles virus)
• AIDS dementia complex (HIV)
 Prions
• Infectious proteins
• Inherited, and transmissible by ingestion, transplant, &
surgical instruments
• Spongiform encephalopathies (fatal): Sheep Scrapie,
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, mad cow disease
• Cause:
• normal cellular prion protein on cell
surface,
• converts to
• scrapie protein, accumulates in brain
cells forming plaques
 Prions

PrPSc
PrPc

1 2 3 4
Lysosome

Endosome

5 6 7 8

Figure 13.21
 Plant viruses and viroids
• Plant Viruses
• enter through
wounds or via
insects

• are
infectious RNA
• One causes
potato spindle
tuber disease
Potato Spindle Tuber Viroids

Figure 13.22
 RNA virus, nonenveloped
• Poliovirus
• May be paralytic in ~1% of cases
• Transmission:

• Human
• Number one cause of the common cold

• Hepatitis A virus
• Attacks liver, kidneys, spleen
• Transmission: fecal-oral route
• Usually not fatal
 RNA virus, enveloped
• Influenza viruses A, B, and C

• Type A have caused

• Both type A and B cause the Flu

• Subtypes differ based on H and N spike variation

• Mutation of H and N spike can lead to epidemics

or pandemics
 RNA virus, enveloped

• Infects birds and humans

• Transmitted by mosquitos

• First appeared in U.S. in 1999 in NYC area; now

coast to coast

• Can be fatal

Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings