Dr.

Nikhil Kirtipal

Viral structure &

k
i
N
o
b
properties
i
R

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

What is a virus

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Viruses
Virus is defined as a nucleoprotein

complex which infects cells and

uses their metabolic processes to
replicate
Smallest known infective agents
Metabolically inert - no metabolic
activity outside host cell; must
enter host cell to replicate

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

What is Life?
Can grow, i.e. increase in size.
Can reproduce.
Metabolism: can acquire and
k
i
N
o
b
i
utilize energy
.
R

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Kingdoms of Life
Anemalia

Plantae
Protista

Fungi
Bacteria

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

Archaea
5

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Discovery of Viruses
Beijerinck (1897) coined

the Latin name virus

meaning poison

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

He studied filtered plant

juices & found they caused

healthy plants to become
sick
copyright cmassengale

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

UNCONVENTIONAL AGENTS
Virion: viral particle
VIROIDS
RNA only

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

viroids infect plants

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is a viroid

7
7

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

PRIONS
protein only
do not contain any nucleic acid
Cause animal diseases e.g.

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

spongiform encephalopathy
Cause human diseases e.g.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Why are some viruses harmful?

Virus invades
cell

When your cells

make viruses
instead of
operating
normally, YOU
get sick

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

Virus forces cell to make

copies of virus

Eventually the cell explodes,

releasing all of the new viruses
9

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Who do viruses infect?

Viruses infect Bacteria
These viruses are called bacteriophages

Viruses infect Plants

k
i
N
o
b
i
R
Viruses infect Animals

One example is the Tobacco Mosaic Virus

One example is Influenza virus

Viruses infect humans
10

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

k
i
N
o
b
i
R
Bacteriophage
11

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

How small are the viruses

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

12

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

The smallest viruses (parvoviruses)

are 20 nm (nm=10-9 m)
The largest (poxviruses) are 300

nm

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

13

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

14

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Viral Structure
Nucleic acid: either RNA or DNA

never both.
Capsid: Protein shell surround the
nucleic acid.
Envelope: lipid membrane acquired
from the host cell. Not all viruses
have it.

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

15

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Nucleic Acid:
-DNA or RNA
- RNA can be ve or +ve sense.
- single - or double - stranded
- linear or circular
- segmented or not
- encodes proteins

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

16

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

proteins:
a)capsid: made of capsomeres
b) enzymes:
- differ from host cell enzymes.
- targets of antiviral therapy

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

17

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Envelope:
layer made of lipid and protein
Surrounds the capsid
Not found in all viruses

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

If destroyed the virus become non

infectious.
Some enveloped viruses have a matrix
Some have protrusions made of
glycoprotein and called spikes.
18

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

19

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

20

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Virus particles exhibit 3 types of

capsid symmetry:
helical : most helical viruses possess

an outer envelope
icosahedral or cubic: may or may
not possess an outer envelope
Complex: does not conform to either
of above (e.g. Pox viruses)

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

21

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Helical Capsid

RNA

Helical capsid is
rod-like structure
with the RNA in
the center of the
helix. A helix is
made by stacking
repeating units in
a spiral.

k
i
N
o
b
i
R
protein
coat
22

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

ICOSAHEDRAL SYMMETRY

k
i
N
o
b
i
R
20 faces
12 vertices
23
23

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

24

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

COMPLEX SYMMETRY
cross section

k
i
N
o
b
i
R
POXVIRUS FAMILY
25
25

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

26

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Capsid symmetry
Icosahedral

Helical
Naked capsid

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

Enveloped

Matrix
Lipid
Glycoprotein

27

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Enveloped viruses
Envelope is sensitive to
Drying, heat, detergents and acid

Consequences
Must stay wet during transmission
Transmission in large droplets and

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

secretions
Cannot survive in the gastrointestinal tract
May not need to kill cells in order to spread

28

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Naked Viruses
Capsid is resistant to
Drying, heat, detergents and acids.

Consequences
Can survive in the gastrointestinal tract
Survive well on environmental surfaces
Spread easily via fomites
Must kill host cells to release mature

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

virus particles
29

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Differences between
k
i
N
o
bacteria
and
viruses
b
i
R

30

Dr. Nikhil Kirtipal

Bacteria Viruses
Growth on artificial media

Often

No

Division by binary fission

Yes

No

Contain DNA and RNA

Yes

No

protein synthesis
machinery

Yes

No

Sensitive to antibiotics

Yes

No

k
i
N
o
b
i
R

31