RSV belongs to the paramyxovirus family of viruses. The virion encompasses a helical nucleocapsid packaged in a lipoprotein envelope attained from the host cell plasma membrane during budding. The external surface of the envelope contains a periphery of surface spikes.
* Flaviviruses: share a common size (40-60nm), symmetry (enveloped, icosahedral nucleocapsid), nucleic acid (positive-sense, single stranded RNA approximately 10,000-11,000 bases), and appearance in the electron microscope. Therefore, images of West Nile virus are representative for this group of viruses.
The virus fuses with the cell’s plasma membrane. The capsid proteins are removed, releasing the viral proteins and RNA. Reverse transcriptase catalyzes the synthesis of a DNA strand complementary to the viral RNA. Reverse transcriptase catalyzes the synthesis of a second DNA strand complementary to the first. The double-stranded DNA is incorporated as a provirus into the cell’s DNA. Proviral genes are transcribed into RNA molecules, which serve as genomes for the next viral generation and as mRNAs for translation into viral proteins. The viral proteins include capsid proteins and reverse transcriptase (made in the cytosol) and envelope glycoproteins (made in the ER). Vesicles transport the glycoproteins from the ER to the cell’s plasma membrane. Capsids are assembled around viral genomes and reverse transcriptase molecules. New viruses bud off from the host cell.
Viruses are microscopic particles that invade and take over both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. They consist of two structures, which are the nucleic acid and capsid. The nucleic acid contains all genetic material in the form of DNA or RNA, and is enclosed in the capsid, which is the protein coating that helps the virus attach to and penetrate the host cell. In some cases, certain viruses have a membrane surrounding the capsid, called an envelope. This structure allows viruses to become more stealthy and protected. There are two cycles in which a virus can go into: lytic and lysogenic. The lytic cycle consists of the virus attaching to a cell, injecting its DNA, and creating more viruses, which proceed to destroy the host. On the other hand, the lysogenic cycle includes the virus attaching to the cell, injecting its DNA, which combines with the cell’s DNA in order for it to become provirus. Then, the provirus DNA may eventually switch to the lytic cycle and destroy the host.
The biological significance of this article is due in part to the fact that viruses are being considered as partway-living things. Even though they are only halfway living, per se, they are still an important part of the study of living things because of the unique way in which they “live” and continue to reproduce by taking advantage of host cells. The information in this article relates to biologists in that viruses provide an entirely different element of potential life, as they are a cause for reconsideration when it comes to defining and determining life and non-life forms. This
The family of Arenaviruses is genomically a negative single strand RNA virus. It has an enveloped, icosahedral symmetry with a diameter of approximately 120nm. Its ambisense genome is segmented into two divisions. The derivation of its name is from the Latin word ‘arena’ which translates to sandy. Many sources indicate this is due to its appearance microscopically of a grainy or sandy particle.(2) This appearance is due to ribosomes being present throughout the virus. The entry of the virus into the host cell is via clathrin mediated endocytosis and reproduction is via budding from the host’s cell membrane. The initial Arenavirus was discovered in 1933-1934 by scientists who were studying encephalitis. It was called LCM (lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus).(4) Over the next decades, more
The Rhinovirus is more well known as the common cold. The Rhinoviruses symptoms are not severe and only last short periods of time, but they are quite easy to catch. “The Rhinovirus affects the respiratory system,” (Ann 2). The structure of the Rhinovirus allows it to sneak around its host and reproduce. The Rhinovirus is a very unique and special virus.
This little package of mayhem consists of relatively few parts. A virus is simply a protein capsule called a capsid, sometimes surrounded by an envelope, containing a genome. The genome consists of nucleic acids arranged as DNA or less commonly, RNA. Dozens of variants of this fundamental arrangement exist with differences in the structure of the capsule and the arrangement of the genome. Small differences or changes in these components allow some viruses to continue to outmaneuver researchers, while millions of dollars are spent trying to understand and eliminate them.
The T4 phage is a virus that belongs to the bacteriophage family. These viruses utilize bacterial cells as a host for replication. Bacteriophages are bacterial viruses and have been studied for many years. The T4 is a morphologically complex virus with a particularly intriguing shape featuring distinct
Noroviruses were first recognized in the year 1968 following an outbreak of gastroenteritis at an elementary school in Norwalk, Ohio in the USA (Adler and Zickl,1969). For many years they were known as Norwalk-like viruses (NLV), or as 'small round structured viruses ' (SRSVs), because of their appearance when viewed under an electron microscopy. Norovirus belongs to the family Caliciviridae and is a non-enveloped, single stranded positive RNA virus with a genome tail and a single capsid polypeptide molecular mass (Greenberg,1981). Norovirus have a characteristic surface morphology
The Lassa Virus is a spherical or pleomorphic structured virus. It is enveloped by a lipid membrane as seen in (Figure 1) and has a diameter that ranges between 60-300 nanometres (nm). Imbedded in the surface of the lipid membrane are the Lassa virus matrix proteins (Z) which are responsible for the release of the virus particle into the host cell. Additionally, peplomers, a glycoprotein spike on the viral capsid, attach themselves onto the host cell and fuse protein into it. The Lassa Virus also contains an ambisense single stranded RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) genome, meaning that its genetic information consists of a single-strand of RNA (positive) which encodes the glycoprotein precursor GP-C, the nucleoprotein NP, the polymerase L, and the
Blok and Air 1982b; Fields et al. 1981 is one of the two major glycoproteins on the virus surface.
The SH (small hydrophobic) protein, matrix protein (M), and the M2 protein are envelope-associated proteins that are not involved in viral attachment or syncytium formation (3). Other proteins such as the nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P), and the large nucleoprotein (L) are in the nucleocapsid. NS-1 and NS-2 are non-structure protein that is only found in the infected cells but not present in virions (3).
Coronaviruses are a genus in the Coronaviridae family, which is in the order Nidovirales. They have a positive sense RNA genome 26-32 kb in
Nanotechnology is the control and manipulation of variously sized particles ranging between 1 to 100 nanometers (Doll, Raman, Dey, & Burkhard, 2012). Virus and virus-like particles, due to their multiple capsid sites, allow for the addition of peptides and the manipulation of their genetic material and protein subunits (Strable & Finn, 2009). Scientists, as they learn more about the production and alteration of these particles, have discovered their true chemical flexibility and ability to assemble into useful nanotechnologies. As a result of these unique qualities, virus-like particles are key particles in nanotechnology, especially in areas such as vaccination, tumor targeting treatments, and other scientific fields (Strable & Finn,