Viral Replicative Cycles Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to viral replicative cycles, including virulent and temperate phages, lytic and lysogenic pathways, and RNA viruses.

Virulent Phage

Phages that follow a lytic pathway, resulting in production of new viral particles and release from the cell.

Temperate Phage

Phages that can follow either a lytic or lysogenic pathway.

Lytic Cycle

The cycle where viral DNA is transcribed and replicated, new virus particles are produced, and the cell is lysed.

Lysogenic Cycle

The cycle where viral DNA is integrated into the host genome, no new virus particles are produced, and most viral genes are turned off.

Lysogeny

A period of dormancy that temperate phages can exit from at a later time.

Prophage

Phage DNA that is integrated into the host genome during lysogeny.

DNA Polymerase

An enzyme that synthesizes DNA from a DNA template.

RNA Polymerase

An enzyme that synthesizes RNA from a DNA template.

Replicase (or Viral Replicase, or RdRp, or Viral RNAP)

An enzyme that synthesizes RNA from an RNA template.

Retroviruses

Viruses that use reverse transcriptase to make ds-DNA as an intermediate from ss-RNA.

(+) sense strand RNA viruses

Viruses with RNA that can be translated directly as if it were mRNA.

(–) sense strand RNA viruses

Viruses with RNA that is complementary and antiparallel to mRNA.

Host Genome Degradation

The degradation of the host's genome during the replicative cycle of a virulent phage.

Host RNA Polymerase Modification

The modification of the host's RNA polymerase during the replicative cycle of a virulent phage.

Virus Assembly

The process of assembling viral components to form a complete virus particle.

Host Cell Lysis

The breaking open of the host cell to release newly formed virus particles.

Phage T4

A virulent bacteriophage used as a model for studying lytic cycles.

Bacteriophage λ (lambda)

A temperate bacteriophage that can undergo either lytic or lysogenic cycles.

Molecular decision

The act of making a molecular decision to enter either lytic or lysogenic cycle.

Reverse Transcriptase

An enzyme used in Retroviruses like HIV that makes ds-DNA as intermediate from ss-RNA.