Chapter 21 - Viruses

bacteriophage

virus that infects bacteria

budding

method of exit from the cell used in certain animal viruses, where virions leave the cell individually by capturing a piece of the host plasma membrane

capsid

protein coating of the viral core

DNA virus

a virus that has DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) as its genetic material

envelope

lipid bilayer that encircles some viruses

gene therapy

treatment of genetic disease by adding genes, using viruses to carry the new genes inside the

cell

latency

virus that remains in the body for a long period of time but only causes intermittent symptoms

lysis

bursting of a cell

lysogenic cycle

type of virus replication in which the viral genome is incorporated into the genome of the host

cell

lytic cycle

type of virus replication in which virions are released through lysis, or bursting, of the cell

oncogenic virus

virus that has the ability to cause cancer

oncolytic virus

virus engineered to specifically infect and kill cancer cells

pathogen

agent with the ability to cause disease

phage therapy

treatment of bacterial diseases using bacteriophages specific to a particular bacterium

prion

infectious particle that consists of proteins that replicate without DNA or RNA

retrovirus

RNA viruses which replicate by inserting a DNA copy of their genome into the host cell

reverse transcriptase

enzyme found in Baltimore groups VI and VII that converts single-stranded RNA into double-stranded DNA

RNA virus

a virus that has RNA (ribonucleic acid) as its genetic material

vaccine

weakened solution of virus components, viruses, or other agents that produce an immune response

viral receptor

glycoprotein used to attach a virus to host cells via molecules on the cell

virion

individual virus particle outside a host cell

virus core

contains the virus genome