Exam 1 Terminology Flashcards
(285 cards)
Virology
The study of viruses and viral diseases
Virologist
Someone who studies viruses
Virion
A complete virus particles that consists of an RNA or DNA core with a protein coat sometimes with external envelopes and that is the extracellular infective form of a virus.
Virus
Is a broad general terminology that is used to describe any aspect of the infectious agent and includes: the infectious (virion) or inactivated virus particles, or viral nucleic acid and protein in the infected cell.
Viroid
An infectious particle smaller than any of the known viruses, an agent of certain plant diseases. The particle consists only of an extremely small circular RNA (ribonucleic acid) molecule, lacking the protein coat of a virus.
Smallest viruses
Porcine circovirus type 1 (17 nm diameter)
Parvoviruses (18 nm diameter)
Largest viruses
Pandoravirus (400 nm diameter)
Poxvirus (200 nm) diameter and 300 nm in length)
Pleomorphism
The ability of some virus to alter their shape or size
Electron Microscopy (EM)
Requires negative staining with electron dense material. Resolution range is usually 50-75 angstroms.
Cryo-electrom Microscopy (Cryo-EM)
Allows the observation of biological specimens in their native environment (not stained or fixed in any way) at cryogenic temperatures in EM.
X-ray Crystallographic Method
The virus is crystallized. Then you bombarded the virus crystal with x-rays. The x-rays will strike and be reflected. Can measure angle of reflection and intensity of reflection. Fit into the computer and with software can reconstruct the virus structure.
Capsid
A protein (coat) shell of a virus that encases/envelopes the viral nucleic acid or genome
Capsomeres
Make up a capsid by non-covalent bonds. It is the basic subunit protein in the capsid of a virus.
Nucleocapsid
Capsid + virus nucleic acid
Triangulation number (T-number)
Described the relation between the number of pentagons and hexagons of the icosahedron. The larger the T-number the more hexagons are present relative to the pentagons.
T-number formula
T = (h^2 + h * k + k^2)
Glycoprotein
Spike embedded on the envelope. Anchored in the lipid bilayer by means of hydrophobic bonds. Transmembrane proteins.
Matrix protein
Between the lipid envelope and the capsid. These proteins link the internal nucleocapsid to the lipid membrane envelope.
External glycoprotein
Anchored in the envelope by a single transmembrane domain, and a short internal tail. Usually major antigens.
Hemagglutinin (HA)
Binding, fusion, antigenic, hemagglutination, clumping RBC
Neuraminidase (NP)
Release progeny virus from host cell, antigenic
Channel proteins
Which are most hydrophobic proteins that form a protein lined channel through the envelope. Alters permeability of the membrane.
Fusion proteins
Fuse to host cytoplasmic membrane. Facilitates virus into the host cell. Host cytoplasmic membrane and virus envelope is fused. Needed to penetrate into the host cell.
Positive sense RNA genome
It is similar to mRNA and thus can be immediately translated by the host cell and can directly synthesize viral proteins.