Viruses, Bacteria, and Disease Concepts

This set of flashcards covers key terminology and concepts related to viruses, their structure, replicative cycles, and associated diseases.

Virus

A microorganism made of genetic material (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coat called a capsid.

Bacteriophage

A virus that infects bacteria, important for controlling bacterial populations and treating bacterial infections.

Lytic Cycle

A viral replicative cycle in which the virus quickly makes new viruses and causes the host cell to burst.

Lysogenic Cycle

A viral replicative cycle where the viral DNA integrates into the host DNA and stays inactive for a while.

Latent Virus

A virus that remains inactive in the host without integrating into the host DNA and can reactivate later.

CRISPR-Cas System

A bacterial defense mechanism that destroys viral DNA and remembers past viruses; used for gene editing in biotechnology.

Retrovirus

A virus that uses RNA as its genetic material and synthesizes DNA from it inside the host cell.

Provirus

The viral DNA after it has been inserted into the host cell's DNA.

Prions

Infectious proteins that cause disease by making normal proteins misfold.

Plasmids

Small, circular pieces of DNA in bacteria that replicate independently.

Transposons

DNA sequences that can move from one location to another within the genome.

Zoonotic Diseases

Diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans, significant for causing major outbreaks and new diseases.

Horizontal Transmission

The spread of plant viruses between plants, often by insects or physical damage.

Vertical Transmission

The passing of plant viruses from parent plants to offspring, usually through seeds or pollen.

Pandemic

A disease outbreak that spreads across many countries or continents, affecting a large number of people.

Covid-19 Structure

Composed of RNA, a protein capsid, and a lipid envelope with spike proteins, vaccines target the spike protein to help recognize the virus.