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Viruses

Lecture 28
Chapter 56 Life
Bacteria or viruses?

 Both bacteria and viruses cause many of the


diseases we are familiar with, so people often
confuse the two.
 Viruses are as different from bacteria as

goldfish are from giraffes.


Main difference

Size
• The biggest viruses are only
as large as the smallest
bacteria.

Structure
• Bacteria are more complex
compared to viruses
Main differences (cont’d)

Reproduction
 Bacteria contain the genetic (DNA) material,
ribosomes and proteins needed to reproduce
themselves.
 Viruses contain limited genetic material (DNA or

RNA).
They have to invade other cells and hijack their
cellular machinery to reproduce.
Infections

 Infections caused by bacteria include:


strep throat, tuberculosis, urinary tract infections
 Diseases caused by viruses include:
chickenpox, AIDS, common colds

NB. It may be difficult to determine whether a


bacterium or a virus is causing your symptoms,
e.g. in case of pneumonia, meningitis, and diarrhoea
Viruses

 Virology is the study of viruses


 Viruses are “biological entities” containing either
DNA or RNA that require another cell to survive.
 Viruses have some, but not all, of the
characteristics of life.
*So are viruses living or non-living?*
 Viruses seem to exist only to make more viruses!
Viral Structure

 All viruses have the same basic structure:


Nucleic acid
Capsid core
(Protein coat) (DNA or
RNA)
Types of viruses
Viral replication
 To replicate viruses need a host cell.
Any living cell can become a host cell
(human, animal, plant, and even bacterial cells!)
 Without a host cell, viruses cannot function
(i.e. are harmless!)
 Although any cell can theoretically become a host
cell, specific viruses will only infect specific cells,
e.g. HIV will only infect human T cells, a part of
your immune system
Viral replication (cont’d)
 Attach: The capsid of the virus binds to receptor
proteins on the surface of a host cell,
tricking the host cell into not treating it as a foreign
invader.
 Inject: The virus then injects its genetic material
(DNA or RNA) into the host cell.
Viral replication (cont’d)

 Assemble: The viral genes are expressed, turning


the host cell into a virus-making factory.
 Repeat: The host cell eventually bursts, releasing
the hundreds of newly formed viruses which then
infect other host cells.
Summary

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