BIOL 134 Lecture 33: lecture 33 (11-16-16)
Document Summary
First identified as filterable agents: infectious particles that pass through bacterial filters (ivanowski, 1892) Can also be linear (like us) or circular (like bacteria) Capsid - protein coat surrounding the genome. Viruses hijack the machinery of a host cell and use it to reproduce. Viruses are incapable of growth outside of a host. Virulent viruses kill the host cell quickly, usually by lysis (breaking open) the host cell. Temperate viruses may remain hidden and dormant for a very long time in their hosts. Antibiotics kill bacteria by specifically attacking parts of bacterial cells, and not our own cells. Since viruses mostly use our own proteins to reproduce, most drugs that stop viruses from reproducing also hurt us! Genome can be double or single-stranded, dna or rna. Contains only one type (dna or rna), not both. Has a metabolism and can survive on its own, usually. Has no metabolism and must grow in a host - obligate parasite.
