武汉大学病毒学双语版Chapter3-1.pptVIP

Genomes Learning Objectives: On completing this session, you should be able to: Recognize the possible structures compositions which comprise the range of virus genomes Understand the major genetic mechanisms which affect viruses Describe several representative virus genomes The Structure Complexity of Virus Genomes The compositions structures of virus genomes are more varied than any of those seen in the entire bacterial, plant or animal kingdoms. The nucleic acid comprising the genome may be single-stranded or double-stranded, in a linear, circular or segmented configuration. Single-stranded virus genomes may be either positive (+)sense, i.e. of the same polarity (nucleotide sequence) as mRNA, negative (–)sense, or ambisense - a mixture of the two. The Structure Complexity of Virus Genomes Virus genomes range in size from approximately 3,500 nucleotides (nt) (e.g. bacteriophages of the family Leviviridae such as MS2 Q?) to approximately 330,000 bp (660,000 nt) - members of the Phycodnaviridae. Unlike the genomes of all cells, which are composed of DNA, virus genomes may contain their genetic information encoded in either DNA or RNA. The Structure Complexity of Virus Genomes Whatever the particular composition of a virus genome, all must conform to one condition. Since viruses are obligate intracellular parasites only able to replicate inside the appropriate host cells, the genome must contain information encoded in a form which can be recognized decoded by the particular type of cell parasitized. The genetic code employed by the virus must match or at least be recognized by the host organism. Similarly, the control signals which direct the expression of virus genes must be appropriate to the host. Although molecular biology has developed many techniques for the manipulation of proteins, the power of this technology has concentrated in the main on nucleic acids. Investigation of virusgenome structures The first complete genome to be sequenced (in 1977)