Booster Prep Booster Cheat Sheets™– Biological Diversity: Viruses © Copyright 2024, Booster Prep Inc.

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Viruses are non-living infectious particles capable of infecting other cells, replicating inside of them, and continuing to infect more cells. Note that they cannot reproduce or undergo any other metabolic activities.

Virus Basics Dealing with Viruses

Examples of Viruses Bacteriophage Viral Infections in Humans Viral Outbreaks Vaccines

1)
1 Bacteriophages • Viruses that infect bacterial cells Disruption of host genes involved in cell replication by injection/integration of viral • Epidemic: In large Weakened agents that
2)
2 Retroviruses: RNA viruses that use reverse transcriptase to • Additional structures: genome can lead to cancer cell development population mimic disease-causing
create double stranded DNA transcripts from single stranded I. Sheath: Helps eject viral DNA into host • Pandemic: Global organism to stimulate
• Acute: Rapid onset of symptoms and virion replication à brief and resolved in days
RNA genome II. Tail fibers: Help with recognition and impact immune system
• Chronic: Initial period of high viral load à reduced to low once immune system
attachment controls infection à lasts several years to a lifetime
Components Viral Modifications
• Latent: Intermittent phases of high and low viral loads after initial acute à lasts
• Nucleic Acid (Viral Genome): Double or single stranded RNA years to a lifetime • Antigenic shift: Viruses mix genes to increase
or DNA • Slow progressing: Seems dormant after initial viral load but progresses (viral host ranges; difficult to treat
• Prophage: Viral genome integrated into bacterial genome replication) years later • Antigenic drift: Minor changes in viruses
• Provirus: Viral genome integrated into eukaryotic genome allow for infection of same host species
• Capsid: Protein coat enclosing and protecting nucleic acid
• Viral Envelope: Outer membrane layer; composed of host cell Bacterial Defense Against Viruses Other Infectious Particles
membranes, other membrane proteins, and viral • Cell surface mutations prevent phages from identifying bacterial surface proteins Prions Viroids
glycoproteins • If phage DNA is inside the cell, restriction enzymes cut at specific recognized
I. Formed from infected host’s cell plasma membrane sequences to prevent replication Infectious misfolded Single stranded
during the release phase of viral life cycle • CRISPR-Cas System: Internal defense of bacteria that recognizes and cuts out viral proteins that cause other RNA molecules
II. Enveloped viruses are typically found in animals proteins to misfold into that infect
genomes à Used in biotechnology for genome editing
the prion form plants
💡 Pro-Tip: Viruses and bacteria both have nucleic acids (shared commonality with living organisms)

Viral Life Cycle & Methods of Replication (Bacteriophage)

1)
1 Attachment between host cell and specific viral surface Lytic Cycle
proteins
• A virus has host ranges (set of species it can infect); can Bacteriophage infects and injects genome into host cell,
also be limited in type of tissue then transcribes it into viral particles that are assembled
2)
2 Entry: Depending on virus type and host cell à into new viruses à host cell bursts and is destroyed
bacteriophage inject genome into bacterial host cell using while virus replicates and attacks other cells
protein tail; enveloped viruses will fuse their viral envelopes • Active process where phage replicates in host cell
with host membrane, and other viruses are taken in via Lysogenic Cycle
endocytosis
3)
3 Uncoating: Once inside host, viral genome is exposed via Passive process à Bacteriophage integrates into host
breakdown of viral capsid genome without actively creating new viral particles.
4)
4 Synthesis/Replication: Virus replicates its genome and viral Every time host cell replicates, viral genome replicated
proteins à requires host’s nucleotides, enzymes, and as well
ribosomes • Viral genome may later be triggered to enter lytic cycle
5)
5 Self-assembly: Viral components spontaneously assemble to produce new viral particles
into new complete viral particles called virions
6)
6 Release: Where viral shedding allows newly replicated viral
particles to leave host (via budding, apoptosis, or exocytosis)