HTHSCI 3K03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Rna-Dependent Rna Polymerase, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Symmetry
12 Dec 2018
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Document Summary
Functions of viral structural proteins: assembly of a stable protective protein shell, specific recognition and packaging of the nucleic acid genome. Interaction with host cell membranes to form the envelope. Delivery of viral genome: bind host cell receptor, uncoating of the genome fusion with cell membranes transport of genome to the appropriate site. Terminology: capsid, protein shell surrounding the genome, nucleocapsid, discrete substructure, the nucleic-acid protein assembly packaged within the virion, envelope, host cell-derived lipid bilayer, viral glycoprotein are often embedded in the envelope infectious virus particle, virion. Techniques to study virus structure: electron microscopy (1930s-1970s, x-ray crystallography first used in the 1970s, cryo-electron microscopy and cryo-electron tomography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (nmr) How to build a virus: symmetry, watson and crick made key contributions to the field of virology. Specifically, using em images, they described 2 types of symmetry: helical symmetry: for rod shaped viruses.
