L12 - RNA virus replication structure Flashcards
What is a model RNA virus used to study replication structures?
Flock House Virus (FHV), which infects insects.
Why do viruses induce structural changes in host cells?
To create specialized compartments that enhance replication efficiency.
What cellular components are involved in virus-induced structures?
Cell membranes, the cytoskeleton, and inter-organelle contacts.
What are virus replication factories?
Intracellular compartments where viruses replicate and assemble new particles.
What is the role of host factors in virus replication factories?
They provide scaffolding and metabolic support for viral replication.
How do viruses manipulate host cells to form replication factories?
By altering metabolic and signaling pathways.
Why do viruses use membrane-bound replication compartments?
To increase replication efficiency by concentrating substrates and enzymes.
How do these compartments protect viruses from host defenses?
They shield viral replication intermediates like dsRNA from immune detection.
What process is spatially coordinated in these compartments?
Viral replication, translation, and assembly.
What imaging technique is used to study virus replication factories?
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
How does TEM help visualize virus structures?
It provides high-resolution images of virus-induced cellular changes.
What is a limitation of TEM?
It provides static images and requires complex sample preparation.
What high-resolution imaging technique is used for SARS-CoV-2 replication structures?
Cryo-electron tomography (Cryo-ET).
Why is Cryo-ET useful for studying virus lifecycles?
It allows visualization of viral replication complexes in near-native conditions.
What cellular structures are altered by SARS-CoV-2 replication?
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived double-membrane vesicles.
How many proteins does Flock House Virus (FHV) encode?
Four proteins.
What is the advantage of using FHV as a model?
Its simplicity allows detailed study of RNA virus replication mechanisms.
Where does FHV replication occur within the cell?
On the outer membrane of mitochondria.
What method is used to identify host factors involved in viral replication?
siRNA screening
How does siRNA screening help in virus research?
It allows systematic identification of host proteins essential for viral replication.
What was discovered about West Nile Virus using siRNA screening?
siRNA screening identified host factors essential for West Nile Virus replication, including proteins involved in RNA binding, membrane remodeling, and intracellular trafficking.
What role do RNA-binding proteins play in viral replication?
They assist in RNA recruitment and strand synthesis.
Why are cellular chaperones important for viruses?
They help in protein folding and complex assembly.
How do viruses manipulate membrane lipids for replication?
They enrich specific lipids like phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PtdIns4P) to modify membranes.