STRUCTURE, CLASSIFICATION, AND

PATHOGENESIS VIRAL INFECTION

MUHAMMAD ASAAD MAIDIN
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine,
Hasanuddin University, Makassar

The objectives are that students should be

able to know and understand
1. The nature, structure and classification
of viruses.
2. The differences of replication cycle of
viruses between DNA and RNA.
3. The ability of viruses to cause disease
and effect viruses on host.

PROPERTIES OF VIRUSES
1. Virus structure consist of : Nucleic acid ,
capsomer / capsid and envelope
2. Genome can be either DNA or RNA
3. Viruses do not have ribosome
4. Viruses do not replicate by binary fission
5. Viruses range from 18 nm to 300 nm
in diameter.

6. Obligate intracellular organisms

7. Sensitive to interferon
8. No sensitivity to antibiotic
9. Can not grow on artificial media.

Differentiation between Bacteria, Mycoplasma, Rickettsia,

Chlamydia and Viruses
Their growth
on artificial
media

Division by
binary fission

Whether they
have both DNA
and RNA

Whether
they have
ribosomes

Their
sensitivity to
antibiotics

Bacteria

Mycoplasma

Rickettsia

Chlamydia

Viruses

* The arenavirus family (an RNA virus family) appears to package ribosomes 'accidentally'. The packaged ribosomes
appear to play no role in viral protein synthesis.

STABILITY OF VIRUSES
- Stable when added MgCl2, MgSO4,Na2SO4
- Stable is important for preparing
vaccine.
PH 5.00 -9,00
- When exposed to ultra violet lamp
loss

CHEMISTRY PROPERTIES OF VIRUSES

Destroyed on 50o-60oC,with in 30.

Can be kept in -70oC for several months

and in -170oC for years.

NUCLEIC ACID VIRUS

Either DNA or RNA

DNA virus is always in double
stranded, except Parpovirus in
single stranded.
RNA virus is always in single
stranded, except Reovirus in double
stranded.

NAKED ICOSAHEDRAL

NAKED HELICAL

FIVE BASIC STRUCTURAL FORMS OF

VIRUS SYMMETRY
1. Naked icosahedral symmetry, e.g.
poliovirus, adenovirus, hepatitis A virus.

2. Naked helical symmetry, e.g. tobacco

mosaic virus, so far no human viruses with
this structure known.

3. Enveloped icosahedral symmetry, e.g. herpes

virus, yellow fever virus, rubella virus
4. Enveloped helical symmetry, e.g. rabies virus,
influenza virus, para influenza virus, mumps
virus, measles virus
5. Complex symmetry e.g. poxvirus

Basic Classification of Viruses

- RNA or DNA
- single-stranded or double-stranded
- nonsegmented or segmented

Nucleic acid

- linear or circular
- if genome is single stranded RNA, can
it function as mRNA?
- whether genome is diploid (it is in
retroviruses)
- symmetry (icosahedral, helical,

Virion structure

complex)
- enveloped or not
- number of capsomers

GLOSSARY :
1. Capsid : The protein coat that surrounds the
nucleic acid of a virus.
2. Nucleo Capsid : The virus structure composed
of the nucleic acid surrounded by the capsid.
3. Capsomer : Substructure of virus particle.
4. Genome : A set of genes
5. Viremia : Presence of virus particles in the
blood

6. Envelope : A host cell derived membrane,

containing virus specific antigens, thats is
acquired during virus maturation.
7. Cytopathic effect (CPE) : consist of morphologic
alteration of host cell, may result in cell death.
8. Virion : the mature virus particle, with all of its
structural components intact.

Factors which affect host range include :

1. Whether the virus can get into the host cell.
2. If the virus can enter the cell , is the appropiate
cellular machinary available for the vIrus to
replicate.
3. If the virus can replicate , can infectious virus
get out of the cell and spread the infection

Muh.Asaad Maidin

T-Lymphocyte

Muh.Asaad Maidin

T-Lymphocyte

DNA VIRUS REPLICATION

e.g. Adeno virus
1. Attachment, Penetration and uncoating

Viral capsid proteins interact with cell

surface receptors and penetration is probably via
endocytosis. Virion are transported to the nucleus
and uncoated. DNA enter nucleus, probably
through a nuclear pore.

2.Early transcription and early translation :

Adenovirus uses host cell polymerase, early
mRNA trascribed and mRNA processed by host
cell. The DNA replicate by a strand displacement
mechanism.

3. Late transcription and late translation :

Late mRNA code predominantly for
structural proteins.

4. Assembly : occurs in the nucleus DNA

enters the particles after immature capsid
are formed.The capsid undergo a
maturation process, after which the cell
lyse and the virion leak out.
5. Budding/ release. Virions may be
released due to cell lysis. Budding viruses
do not necessarily kill the cell, some may
be able to set up persistence.

RNA VIRUS REPLICATION

1). RNA virus do not copy their RNA into

DNA.
2). RNA virus which copy their RNA into
DNA

1). RNA virus do not copy their RNA into DNA.

Need an RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase to
replicate their RNA.
No viral protein can be made until viral m-RNA
available.

1.1. Plus stranded RNA viruses.

The virion RNA is the same sense as
m-RNA so function as m-RNA. This
m-RNA can be translated immediately
upon infection of the host cell.
eg. Picornavirus , polio virus, togavirus,
flavivirus

1.2. Negative stranded RNA viruses.

The virion is negative sense as a
complementary to m-RNA copied into the
complementary plus-sense m-RNA. Needs to
code RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase.
eg. Orthmyxovirus, measles virus,
rabies virus, mumps virus.

1.3. Double stranded RNA virus (dsRNA)

The virion RNA is double stranded so
cannot function as m-RNA needed
RNA- polymerase to make mRNA
e.g. Rotavirus

2). RNA viruses which copy their RNA into DNA.

Retroviruses although plus-sense, virion
RNA is not release in the cytoplasm, so does
not function as mRNA. Virion RNA serve as a
template for Reverse transcriptase enzyme
(RT) immediately copied into DNA.
Retroviruses need to code RT enzyme and
package it in virion.

HIV Life Cycle - Prof.Dr.dr.As aad Maidin M.Sc.exe

Pathogenesis in the infected patients involves

1. Transmission of the virus and its entry
into the host.
2. Replication of the virus and damage to cell
3. Spread of the virus to other cells and organs
4. The immune response, both as a host

defense

and as contributing cause of certain diseases.

5. Persistent of the virus in some instances .

There are four main effects of virus

infection on the cell:
1. Death
2. Fusion of cells to form multinucleated cells.
3. Malignant transformation
4. No apparent morphologic or function
change

References ;
1. Cohen,J., Powderly,W.G.,et al, 2004.
Infectious Diseases, 3 rd edith. Mosby.
2. Levinson, W., and Jawetz, E., 2002 Medical
Microbiology, a Lange medical book, seventh edith.
3. Metseelar, D., and Simpson,D.I.H.,1982.
Practical virology, For Medical Students and
Practisioners in Tropical Countries, Oxford Univ.Press.
4. Mims,C.,Dockrell,H.M, et al, 2004.
Medical Microbiology, 3rd edith.Elsevier Mosby.
5. Virella, G., 1997. Microbiology and Infetious Diseases,
3rd edition,William & Wilkins a waverly company.
6. Internet.