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Rabies Virus Research Paper

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!!Rabies Virus

You are probably familiar with the image of a rabid animal foaming at the mouth, but most people don't know much about the virus or how it causes this disease. Rabies is caused by an infection spread through saliva. The saliva must come in contact with an open wound so it is usually spread through bites, though there have been reports of transmission through saliva contacting scrapes or mucous membranes like the mouth or nose. The virus can infect any mammal but typically is found in animals like bats, raccoons, foxes, and skunks. Domestic animals like cats and dogs can also be infected, which is why there are laws requiring them to be vaccinated against the virus.

!!!Disease Progression

If someone were to be infected, the …show more content…

These viruses are bullet-shaped as can be seen in the electron micrograph image. [{Image src='vesicular_stomatitis_virus_vsv_em_18_lores.jpg' alt='Rhabdovirus Electron Micrograph'caption='Electron Micrograph of a Rhabdovirus'}]

The outside of the virus is an envelope coated in the viral glycoprotein( __G__). Inside the virus, the matrix protein (__M__ ) provides structure to the viral envelope. The viruses genome is single-stranded RNA. This is coated in many copies of the nucleocapsid protein (__N__). The RNA and the N protein together form the ribonucleoprotein core (RNP). The RNP is like a long strand which wraps around the inside of the virus, binding to M, forming a spiral. The other two protein, a polymerase (__L__) and a phosphoprotein (__P__), are also inside the virus.

The G protein binds to cells and starts the infection. The virus __uncoats__ inside the cell, which means that the RNP is released into the cytoplasm where viral replication take place. The first step is for the virus to make its proteins. The viral RNA is used as a template for the L protein to transcribe messenger RNAs (mRNAs). These mRNAs tell the cell's ribosomes to make viral proteins instead of the cell's proteins. Once enough viral proteins are made, the L protein starts to make new copies of the viral genome. This RNA is bound by new copies of the L, P, and N protein forming new RNPs. These are covered with M protein and then gain an envelope with the G protein as it leaves the cell forming a new infectious

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