PART 1

Acellular Microbes:
Virus, Viroids and Prions
Complete virus particles are called
virions.
Size range from 10-300 nm in diameter.
Virus could only be seen using an EM.
Viruses can infect all organisms!
Many human diseases are caused by
viruses.
Oncogenic viruses or oncoviruses
caused specific types of cancer.
They posses either DNA or RNA
They are unable to replicate on their own
They do not divide by binary fission,
mitosis or meiosis
They lack genes and enzymes necessary
for energy production
They depend on the ribosomes, enzymes,
and metabolites
Genetic Material- DNA or RNA
Capsid– composed of capsomeres
Envelope- composed of lipids and
polysaccharides
Some have tail, sheath and tail fibers
Type of genetic material: DNA or RNA
Shape of the capsid
Number of capsomeres
Size of the capsid
Presence or absence of an envelope
Type of host that it infects
Type of disease it produces
Target cells
Immunologic or antigenic properties
One theory states that viruses existed
before cells.
The other theory states that cells came
first and that viruses represent ancient
derivatives of degenerate cells or cell
fragments
Family names end in -viridae
Genus names end in -virus
Viral species: A group of viruses sharing
the same genetic information and
ecological niche (host).
Common names are used for species
Subspecies are designated by a number
 Herpesviridae-
Herpes virus,
icosahedral,
enveloped, DNA
• HSV 1- orofacial
herpes
• HSV 2- geniteal herpes
• VZV- chicken pox and
shingles
Retroviridae-
Retrovirus, RNA,
helical, enveloped
• Lentivirus- HIV

HIV
 Adenoviridae-
Adenovirus,
icosahedral, non-
enveloped, DNA
• Human Adenovirus
A- respiratory
infections,
conjunctivitis,
gastroenteritis.
• Viral encephaliltis
and meningitis
 Picornaviridae-
Picornaviruses,
icosahedral, RNA, and
non-enveloped.
• Poliovirus- causes
poliomyelitis
• Coxscakie viruses-
hand, foot and mouth
diseases
• Echoviruses- nervous
disorder
Coronaviridae-
coronavirus,
helical, RNA and
enveloped
• SARS
• Common colds
• Gastroenteritis
• Upper and lower
respiratory tract
infections
Three categories:
Icosahedron bacteriophages- Almost
spherical shape with 20 triangular facets
Filamentous bacteriophages- long tubed
form by a capsid proteins assembles into a
gelical structure
Complex bacteriophages- icosahedral
heads attached to helicaltails
Complex Bacteriophage
Single stranded DNA phages
Double stranded DNA phages
Single stranded RNA phages
Double stranded RNA phages
 LYTIC CYCLE
 Attachment Phage attaches by tail fibers to
host cell
 Penetration Phage lysozyme opens cell wall,
tail sheath contracts to force tail
core and DNA into cell
 Biosynthesis Production of phage DNA
and proteins
 Maturation Assembly of phage particles
 Release Phage lysozyme breaks cell wall
 Bacterial Bacterial Capsid DNA
cell wall chromosome
Capsid

Sheath
Tail fiber
1 Attachment: Tail
Base plate
Phage attaches
to host cell. Pin
Cell wall
Plasma membrane

2 Penetration:
Phage pnetrates
host cell and
injects its DNA. Sheath contracted

Tail core

Figure 13.10.1
 Tail
DNA

4 Maturation:
Viral components
are assembled into Capsid
virions.

5 Release:
Host cell lyses and
new virions are Tail fibers
released.
The Lysogenic Cycle
Virusesthat infects human and animals.
Some are DNA viruses; others RNA.
May consist solely of nucleic acid
surrounded by a protein coat or they
maybe more complex.
 Multiplication of
Animal viruses
 Attachment Viruses attaches to cell membrane
 Penetration By endocytosis or fusion
 Uncoating By viral or host enzymes
 Biosynthesis Production of nucleic acid and
proteins
 Maturation Nucleic acid and capsid proteins
assemble
 Release By budding (enveloped viruses) or
rupture
Attachment, Penetration,
and Uncoating

Figure 13.14
Release of an enveloped
virus by budding
 Multiplication of DNA Virus
Papovavirus 1 Virion attaches to host cell
7 Virions are released
Host cell
DNA
Capsid

DNA 2 Virion penetrates

cell and its DNA is
6 Virions mature Cytoplasm
uncoated

Capsid proteins

mRNA

5 Late translation;
capsid proteins
are synthesized

3 Early transcription and

4 Late transcription; translation; enzymes are
DNA is replicated synthesized
 Viral Infections
Latent Viral Infections
• Virus remains in asymptomatic host cell for
long periods
• Cold sores, shingles
Persistent Viral Infections

• Disease processes occurs over a long

period, generally fatal
• Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis
(measles virus)
 Oncogenic Viruses
Activated oncogens transform normal cells
into cancerous cells.
Transformed cells have increased growth,
loss of contact inhibition, tumor specific
transplant and T antigens.
The genetic material of oncogenic viruses
becomes integrated into the host cell's DNA.
 Epstein-Barr Virus-
cause of infectious
mononucleosis (not a
type of cancer), but
also causes 3 types of
cancer
• Nasopharyngeal cancer
• Burkitt’s Lymphoma
• B-cell Lymphoma
 HBV and HCV
• Hepatocellular
carcinoma
 HSV 8

• Kaposi’s Sarcoma-
type of cancer
common in AIDS
patients.
 HPV

• Causes different
kinds of cancer,
including cervical
cancer.
 Usually transmitted
via insects; mites;
nematodes; infected
seeds, cuttings and
tubers; and
contaminated tools.
 Ex. TMV
Some Plant Viruses
Consists of short, naked fragments of
single stranded RNA.
Can interfere with the metabolism of plant
cells.
Transmitted between plants.
Ex: potato spindle tuber, citrus exocortis,
diseases of chrysanthemums
So far, no animal diseases have been
discovered that are caused by viroids.
 Infectious proteins
 Inherited and
transmissible by
ingestion, transplant,
& surgical instruments
• PrPC, normal cellular
prion protein, on cell
surface
• PrPSc, scrapie protein,
accumulate in brain
cells forming plaques
Awarded: 1997
Nobel Prize for
Medicine
He coined the term
“prion”
He studied the role
of prions in disease
 Fatalspongiform encephalopathies:
 Sheep scrapie
 Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
 Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker Syndrome
 Fatal familial insomnia in humans
 Kuru