Very basic explanation of a virus:
Virus consists of a
- Head
- Tail
- Legs/Fibres
The head contains the DNA/RNA, nucleic acids (genetic material, GM). It depends on what kind of virus we speak of, there are a lot of different kind of viruses. It is protected from the outside with a protein coat, that consists of hemagglutinin and neuraminidases, hence names given for viruses (f.e. H1N1, Influenza virus).
The tail connects the head with the legs/fibres.
Those legs will make sure the virus can bind on its host, for example a bacterial cell or a human cell. Viruses that bind on bacteria are often called bacteriophages.
When connected to a host, the virus will inject its DNA/RNA into the cell via the tail.
Once its GM is injected, the virus will normally eject from the cell and fall apart/gets secreted out of the organism.
The GM will be implemented into the hosts genome often via reverse transciptases.
Now this GM will code for proteins that induce transcription of these genes to create new viruses
Legs, head and tail will all be created seperately. Only once the virus GM is brought inside the head, the head will bind with the tail and legs to form a new virus particle.
Now two options are possible:
- Lytic cycle: destruction of the host cell --> release of all the new virus particles into the organism to further infect the host.
- Lysogenic cycle: the virus GM is implemented into the DNA of the host and will stay there and will be given to new daughter cells of the host cell up untill a lytic cycle will occur.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/staticarchive/2effc5b6f748963d346ae11763b12f9ef34ba8af.jpg BBC
Note: this is a very short and basic summary of the structure of a virus. Every virus is different from eachother and there are a lot of different types.
Virus consists of a
- Head
- Tail
- Legs/Fibres
The head contains the DNA/RNA, nucleic acids (genetic material, GM). It depends on what kind of virus we speak of, there are a lot of different kind of viruses. It is protected from the outside with a protein coat, that consists of hemagglutinin and neuraminidases, hence names given for viruses (f.e. H1N1, Influenza virus).
The tail connects the head with the legs/fibres.
Those legs will make sure the virus can bind on its host, for example a bacterial cell or a human cell. Viruses that bind on bacteria are often called bacteriophages.
When connected to a host, the virus will inject its DNA/RNA into the cell via the tail.
Once its GM is injected, the virus will normally eject from the cell and fall apart/gets secreted out of the organism.
The GM will be implemented into the hosts genome often via reverse transciptases.
Now this GM will code for proteins that induce transcription of these genes to create new viruses
Legs, head and tail will all be created seperately. Only once the virus GM is brought inside the head, the head will bind with the tail and legs to form a new virus particle.
Now two options are possible:
- Lytic cycle: destruction of the host cell --> release of all the new virus particles into the organism to further infect the host.
- Lysogenic cycle: the virus GM is implemented into the DNA of the host and will stay there and will be given to new daughter cells of the host cell up untill a lytic cycle will occur.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/staticarchive/2effc5b6f748963d346ae11763b12f9ef34ba8af.jpg BBC
Note: this is a very short and basic summary of the structure of a virus. Every virus is different from eachother and there are a lot of different types.
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