Comparative Virology Review

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts related to comparative virology, including definitions and explanations of significant terms.

Nucleic Acid Genome

Genetic material of a virus, can be RNA or DNA, contains instructions for replication.

Capsid

Protein shell that encases the viral genome, made up of capsomeres.

Envelope

An additional layer around the capsid derived from the host cell membrane.

Polio

A virus first depicted in hieroglyphs; known for causing paralytic poliomyelitis.

Smallpox

A contagious disease characterized by pustular lesions; significant historical impact.

Variolation

An early method of immunization using material from mild cases of smallpox.

Dmitri Iwanowski

The scientist who showed that disease could transmit through filters that retain bacteria.

Martinus Beijerinck

Known as the 'Father of Virology' for his work on contagious living fluid.

Bacteriophage

A virus that infects bacteria, recognized by Felix d'Herelle.

Wendell Stanley

Won the Nobel Prize for crystallizing tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and proving its infectious nature.

Max Theiler

Developed the yellow fever vaccine, first to propagate the virus in chick embryos.

Baltimore Classification

A system for classifying viruses based on their genome and replication mode.

Class I virus

Double-stranded DNA virus, e.g., Adenoviruses.

Class II virus

Single-stranded DNA virus, e.g., Parvoviruses.

Class III virus

Double-stranded RNA virus, e.g., Reoviruses.

Class IV virus

Positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus, e.g., Picornaviruses.

Class V virus

Negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus, e.g., Orthomyxoviruses.

Class VI virus

RNA virus with a DNA intermediate, e.g., Retroviruses.

Class VII virus

Double-stranded DNA virus with reverse transcription, e.g., Hepadnaviruses.

Transformation Principle

Discovered by Griffith; indicates that DNA can transfer genetic information.

Avery-MacLeod-McCarty experiment

Showed that DNA is the transforming principle by deoxyribonuclease treatment.

Hershey-Chase experiment

Demonstrated that DNA, not protein, is the genetic material in bacteriophages.

Salk Vaccine

The vaccine developed by Jonas Salk to prevent polio.

Reverse transcriptase

An enzyme that allows RNA viruses to convert their RNA into DNA.

Viral entry mechanisms

Different strategies that viruses use to enter host cells.

Receptor-mediated endocytosis

A common mechanism for viral entry facilitated by cell receptors.

ss(+)-sense RNA genomes

Single-stranded RNA viruses that can be directly translated into proteins.

ss(-)-sense RNA genomes

Single-stranded RNA viruses that require transcription before translation.

Retroviruses

RNA viruses that replicate via reverse transcription into a DNA form.

Plant virus entry

Differs from animal viruses; mediated by natural vectors.

Genome of Poliovirus

Contains a single open reading frame with structural and non-structural proteins.

Genome organization

Arrangement of genes and regulatory elements in a viral genome.

HCMV replication cycle

Includes steps from entry to egress of the virus from host cells.

RNA-dependent RNA polymerase

An enzyme that synthesizes RNA from RNA templates during viral replication.

Antigenome

The complementary RNA strand synthesized from the viral genome.

Viral replicase

An enzyme that replicates viral RNA genomes during infection.

Fusogenic proteins

Proteins that facilitate the fusion of the viral envelope with the host cell.

Budding

The process by which viruses exit the host cell after replication.

Kary Mullis

Invented PCR

Michael Smith

Oligonucleotide based, site directed mutagenesis

Peyton Rous

Rous Sarcoma Virus

David Baltimore, Renato Dulbecco, Howard Martin Temin

Discovered reverse transcriptase

Stanley B Prusiner

Discovered prions

Harald zur Hausen

Discovered Human Papiloma Virus and its role in cervical cancer

Francoise Barre Sinoussi, Luc Montagnier

Discovered HIV, Robert Charles Gallo

Charlie M Rice

Discovered Hepatitis C Virus, J alter, and Michael Houghton

Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier

CRISPR technology

Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman

Nuceloside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID 19

Dorothy Horstmann

Discovered traces of polio virus in the bloodstream, helped determine polio reached the brain by way of blood

June Almeida

Discovered first coronavirus