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Types and Impact of Viruses Explained

Viruses are microscopic organisms that contain genes but cannot replicate without a host cell. They come in various shapes and sizes and infect animals, plants, and bacteria. The tobacco mosaic virus was the first virus ever discovered - it infects tobacco and other plants and causes characteristic leaf mosaics and stunting. While some viruses cause harmful diseases, others can be used beneficially for genetic engineering, stimulating the immune system, producing useful enzymes, and controlling agricultural pathogens.

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49 views19 pages

Types and Impact of Viruses Explained

Viruses are microscopic organisms that contain genes but cannot replicate without a host cell. They come in various shapes and sizes and infect animals, plants, and bacteria. The tobacco mosaic virus was the first virus ever discovered - it infects tobacco and other plants and causes characteristic leaf mosaics and stunting. While some viruses cause harmful diseases, others can be used beneficially for genetic engineering, stimulating the immune system, producing useful enzymes, and controlling agricultural pathogens.

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mt902559
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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• Interferon is a protein that is secreted by animals and inhibit

the replication of virus.


• Virus is derived from a Latin word meaning “poison or slimy
liquid”.

Life –Form

• Viruses are called as “organisms at the edge of life”.


 On one hand, they have genes and nucleic acid that make up
all living organisms.

 On the other hand, they lack the ability to read and act upon
information contained in nucleic acid.

They do not have their own metabolism.


Types / Groups of Virus
Virus are classified into four groups based on shape.

1. Filamentous: long and cylindrical e.g plants,TMV


(Tobacco mosaic virus).
2. Isometric/ icosahedral: roughly spherical e.g
poliovirus.
3. Enveloped: have membrane surrounding the
capsid e.g HIV
4. Head and tail: infect bacteria. Have head similar to
isometric & a tail shape like filamentous virus e.g
bacteriophage.
Types on basis of Host
• Animal virus: Rabies, polio
• Plant virus: TMV, Carrot thin leaf virus
• Bacteriophage: T1, T2….T4
Types on basis of genetic consequences
• DNA virus: DNA genome….double & single stranded
• RNA virus: RNA genome
(single,double,linear,circular)
positive sense RNA: immediately translate
negative sense RNA: gene converted into proper
form then translate.
segmented RNA
TMV(Tobacco Mosaic Virus)
• Louis pasture: found a pathogen ,too small to be
detected by microscope.
• Charles Chamberland(1884): invented
Chamberland filter which remove all bacteria from
solution passed through it.
• Ivanovsky(1892): used this filter which leads to
discovery of TMV. He thought that infection of
tobacco might be due to bacteria.
• Martinus(1898): reported that disease was due to a
new infectious agent called TMV(1st virus).
• It is single stranded RNA virus.
• It effects tobacco, tomato, pepper, cucumber and
ornamental flowers.
• Causes characteristic patterns called mosaic.
• Causes discoloration of young leaves.
• Developed mosaic of light and dark green areas.
• Causes stunted growth
• Leaf burn
• Elongated leaves
• Wrinkles on leaves
• Usually effect in hot and dry weather.
Economic Importance
Harmful effects:
Pathogen: Flu, small pox, AIDS, Chicken pox
Cytopathic effects: damage the cell & change its
microscopic appearance
Oncovirus: tumors
Beneficial effects:
Genetic engineering: harmless virus used as genetic
vectors
• Stimulate immune system to produce antibodies
• Produce enzymes e.g
polymerase( DNA,RNA),replicase(copy RNA)
• Bio Control: prevent spread of plant & animal
pathogens called bio control
• Farmers can spray a dilute soln. of phage to prevent
bacterial destruction
• Genetic manipulation: used in cloning/genomic
library
• Replace problematic human tissues

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