Principles of Virology. Jane Flint

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Principles of Virology - Jane Flint


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V. 8 March 2018. Only the ribosome is lacking. Virology Blog. http://www.virology.ws/2018/03/08/only-the-ribosome-is-lacking/.

       Schulz F, Yutin N, Ivanova NN, Ortega DR, Lee TK, Vierheilig J, Daims H, Horn M, Wagner M, Jensen GJ, Kyrpides NC, Koonin EV, Woyke T. 2017. Giant viruses with an expanded complement of translation system components. Science 356:82–85.

      By convention, mRNA is defined as a positive [(+)] strand because it contains immediately translatable information. In the Baltimore classification, a strand of DNA that is of equivalent sequence is also designated a (+) strand. The RNA and DNA complements of (+) strands are designated negative [(−)] strands.

      As originally conceived, the Baltimore scheme included six classes of viral genomes (designated I to VI). When the gapped DNA genome of hepadnaviruses (e.g., hepatitis B virus) was discovered, these viruses were assigned to a seventh class (VII). The DNA and RNA descriptors for the viral classes [single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), (+) RNA, or (–) RNA, etc.], but not the Roman numeral designations, have been adopted universally and are a valuable complement to classical taxonomy. The information embodied in classification by genome type provides virologists with immediate insight into the steps that must take place to initiate the replication and expression of any viral genome.

      The basic thesis of this textbook is that all viral propagation can be described in the context of three fundamental properties.

       Viral genomes are packaged inside particles that mediate their transmission from host to host.

       The viral genome contains the information for initiating and completing an infectious cycle within a susceptible, permissive cell.

       An infectious cycle includes attachment and entry, decoding of genome information, genome replication, and assembly and release of particles containing the genome.

       Viral propagation is ensured by establishment in a host population.

      In the first edition of this textbook (published in 2000), we noted that the most recent (1995) report of the ICTV listed 71 different virus families, which covered most new isolates. We speculated therefore that: “As few new virus families had been identified in recent years, it seems likely that a significant fraction of all existing virus families are now known.” In the intervening years, this prediction has been shattered, not only by the discovery of new families of viruses, including giant viruses with genome sizes that surpass those of some bacteria, but also by results from metagenomic analyses. For example, the fact that a high percentage (93%) of protein-coding sequences in the genomes of the giant Pandoraviruses have no homologs in the current databases was totally unexpected. The unusual morphological features and atypical reproduction process of these viruses were also surprising. In addition, it is mind-boggling to contemplate that of almost 900,000 viral sequences identified in samples of only one type of ecosystem (raw sewage), more than 66% bore no relationship to any viral family in the current database. From these analyses, and similar studies of other ecosystems (i.e., oceans and soil), it has been estimated that only a minor percentage of extant viral diversity has been explored to date. Clearly, the viral universe is far more vast and diverse than suspected only a decade ago, and there is much fertile ground for gaining a deeper understanding of the biology of viruses and their host cells and organisms.

       Books

      Barry JM. 2005. The Great Influenza. Penguin Books, New York, NY.

      Brock TD. 1990. The Emergence of Bacterial Genetics. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY.

      Brothwell


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