VIROLOGY - MCB 5505

VIRUS FAMILY: POXVIRIDAE (POX=POCKS, VESCICULAR, PUSTULAR RASH)

I. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
A. LARGE, COMPLEX, DS DNA VIRUS
B. REPLICATES IN CYTOPLASM (EVEN IN ENUCLEATED CELL)
C. CONTAINS ALL ENZYMES FOR DNA REPLICATION &
TRANSCRIPTION
D. DNA IS TERMINALLY REDUNDANT WITH CLOSED ENDS
E. SMALLPOX ERADICATED IN 1977 (WHO)
F. MANY ZOONOTIC INFECTIONS (EG. MONKEYPOX)

II. STRUCTURE (BASED ON VACCINIA)

A. SIZE: 400 X 240 X 200 nm
B. ENVELOPE: PRESENT
1. GLYCOPROTEINS:
2. OTHER PROTEINS:
3. MATRIX PROTEIN:
C. NUCLEOCAPSID
1. NUCLEIC ACID
a. TYPE: DNA BALTIMORE TYPE: I
b. STRANDED: DS
c. POLARITY: + & -
6
d. MOL. WT.: 122 X 10 , 191,737 bp
e. SEQUENCE-GENBANK AN: M35027
f. # GENES: > 200, (263 ORFs)
2. GENETIC (PHYSICAL) MAP:

TOO COMPLEX FOR A SIMPLE DIAGRAM

PHYSICALLY THE DNA HAS ABOUT 4KB OF TANDEM
REPEATS ON EACH END. THEY ARE ARRANGED
AS INVERTED REPEATS OF EACH OTHER.
THE TWO STRANDS OF DNA ARE ALSO CLOSED ON THE
ENDS - TERMINAL LOOPS - IF THE DNA IS
DENATURED, A LARGE SINGLE-STRANDED LOOP
IS THE RESULT

3. CORE
a. SURROUNDED BY AN INNER MEMBRANE
b. LATERAL BODIES OF UNKNOWN FUNCTION
c. PALISADE LAYER BETWEEN CORE AND LATERAL
BODIES
d. COMPOSITION:
>30 DIFFERENT PROTEINS PRESENT IN
VIRION
e. MANY ENZYME ACTIVITIES ARE PRESENT IN
THE CORE - MAINLY THOSE NECESSARY
FOR TRANSCRIPTION AND POST-
TRANSCRIPTIONAL MODIFICATIONS
(EG. RNA POLYMERASE, POLY-A
POLYMERASE)
VIRUS FAMILY: POXVIRIDAE
III. CLASSIFICATION AND CHARACTERISTIC MEMBERS
SUBFAMILY GENERA MEMBERS
CHORDOPOXVIRINAE AVIPOXVIRUS FOWLPOX VIRUS
CAPRIPOXVIRUS SHEEPPOX VIRUS
LEPORIPXVIRUS MYXOMAVIRUS
MOLLUSCIPOXVIRUS MOLLUSCUM CONTAGIOSUM V
ORTHOPOXVIRUS VACCINIA VIRUS
PARAPOXVIRUS ORF VIRUS
SUIPOXVIRUS SWINEPOX VIRUS
YATAPOXVIRUS YABA MONKEY TUMOR VIRUS

ENTOMOPOXVIRINAE ENTOMOPOXVIRUS A MELOLONTHA MELOLONTHA EPV

ENTOMOPOXVIRUS B AMSACTA MOOREI EPV
ENTOMOPOXVIRUS C CHIRONOMUS LURIDUS EPV

IV. VIRAL MULTIPLICATION

A. ABSORPTION & PENETRATION: A complex process. The
outer membrane of the virus fuses with the plasma
membrane and is shed as virus enters the cytoplasm.
B. UNCOATING: Loss of the outer proteins is also
complex and not well understood. The core never
completely uncoats. The virus replicates in the
cytoplasm and new cores (viral factories) assemble
as the virus multiplies.
C. GENE EXPRESSION: Divided into two phases
involving early genes (50% of genome) and late
genes. The early genes (like other viruses) serve
both a regulatory role and are directly involved
with DNA replication. [Poxviruses replicate in
enucleated cells!] After DNA replication begins,
the late genes are expressed. These are
structural genes. The viruses make their own
capping, methylating & polyA adding enzymes as
well as enzymes involved in nucleotide metabolism.
D. GENOME REPLICATION:
E. ASSEMBLY: Viral factories assemble in cytoplasm.
Again, a very complex process.
F. BUDDING AND/OR RELEASE: Viruses bud through the
plasma membrane. Viruses (IMVs) also may be
“shot”from cell to cell by actin “comet tails”.
V. CLINICAL CORRELATIONS
A. SMALLPOX: Variolation and vaccination - history
of smallpox. Smallpox vaccination and Edward
Jenner in 1796. The WHO and the eradication of
the disease: 1967-1977. Variola major and variola
minor (or alastrim) viruses.
B. MOLLUSCUM CONTAGIOSUM: Caused by a human virus,
MCV - causes a non-ulcerating, localized pox.
Transmitted by close contact (tropics as a skin
disease), in temperate climates as an STD.
C. OTHER ZOONOTIC DISEASES: Most serious is
Monkeypox which mimics smallpox, and can be fatal.
Others include Cowpox, Orf, and Milker’s nodes.