Viruses

Question 1

What is a virus made up of

Answer 1

Genetic material (rna OR Dna)

Proteins

Question 2

Structure of a virus?

Answer 2

Core or nucleic acid surrounded by protein coat (capsid)

Question 3

Define cell parasite

Answer 3

• depend on living cells for existence

- while harming the organism

Question 4

Is a virus a cell? If so, why? If not why not?

Answer 4

NOT A CELL

• smaller than a cell
• no cytoplasm or orangelles

Question 5

What did virus originate from?

Answer 5

Genetic material of disrupted cells

-theory

Question 6

Non living characteristics of a virus

Answer 6

• non cellular
• do not reproduce
• contains dna or rna
• depends on host cell

Question 7

Living characteristics of a virus

Answer 7

• Have genetic material
• Do evolve
• have structures related to function
• Replicate (Not reproduction)
• There are diverse species of viruses

Question 8

What is a virus

Answer 8

Non-cellular particle

Question 9

Three main shapes of a virus

Answer 9

• rod
• spherical
• tadpole

Question 10

define bacteriophage

Answer 10

• A virus that invades bacteria

- Have a more complex structure than normal viruses

Question 11

Define viral specifity

Answer 11

-Viral infections are specific to a species or group or cell type
ie- plant viruses can only attack plant cells
- Viral genome must match enough host DNA to overtake metabolic function of cell

Question 12

What are the 5 steps to using viruses as a vector for gene therapy?

Answer 12

1. Cells are removed from patient
2. A virus is deactivated/altered so that it will not effect the patient.
3. A gene is then injected into the virus
4. Altered virus is mixed with the removed cells from patient
5. The cells and gene-injected virus are then injected back into the patient, and the cells in the patient start to replicate the good genes,and they become genetically altered.

Question 13

How are viruses spread?

Answer 13

-directly by fluid contact
ie- Kissing
-Indirect by air, water, and food
ie- eating a carrot someone sneezed on :(

Question 14

What does virulence mean?

Answer 14

-How infectious, damaging, and disease causing a virus is

Question 15

What are the four non-specific defense systems towards viruses?

Answer 15

1. Barrier (1st line of defense) 
ie-skin
2. Phagocytes (second line) 
ie-white blood cells engulfing the virus
3. Fever (second line) 
ie-to denature the protein in the virus
4. Interferon (second line)
ie- a special protein that interferes with replication

Question 16

What are the two specific defense systems towards viruses?

Answer 16

1. Antibodies (3rd line)

2. Immunity (3rd line)

Question 17

What are antibodies

Answer 17

• Biological molecules made in responce to SPECIFIC ANTIGENS
• They attach to antigens (specific like lock and key), which are located on the surface of the virus
• they create memory cells

Question 18

What is immunity?

Answer 18

-After exposure to a pathogen (Anything foreign in the body), memory cells remain in your immune system. The memory cells produce antibodies very quickly; before a disease can develope

Question 19

What are vaccinations?

Answer 19

• Weakened or synthetic forms of pathogens
• Injected into organisms to produce antibodies, and memory cells in body
• The “synthetic” infection is met with body’s second immune response.

Question 20

Active immunity?

Answer 20

-Occurs when YOUR OWN body processes antibodies in response to pathogen or vaccine

Question 21

Passive Immunity?

Answer 21

• Occurs when antibodies produces by other animals are injected
• Trigger immune response
• Travelers are sometimes given antibodies against tropical diseases before they leave home

Question 22

Indicate several non-living characteristics of viruses

Answer 22

Contains rna or dna
Do not reproduce
Non cellular
Depend on host cell