The basic stages are attachment, penetration, uncoating, replication, assembly, and release.
What is the role of the host cell in viral replication?
The host cell provides the machinery and environment for the virus to replicate its genome and synthesize viral proteins.
How do DNA and RNA viruses differ in their replication method?
DNA viruses typically use the host's DNA polymerase for replication, while RNA viruses often carry their own RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.
What is reverse transcription, and which viruses use it?
Reverse transcription is the process of converting RNA into DNA, used by retroviruses like HIV.
Why do viruses need to uncoat during replication?
Uncoating releases the viral genome inside the host cell and is essential for subsequent replication steps.
How does the assembly of new viruses occur?
Viral components self-assemble into new virions in the host cell's cytoplasm or nucleus.
What is lysis in the context of viral replication?
Lysis is the breaking down of a host cell to release newly formed viruses.
What distinguishes lytic from lysogenic viral cycles?
The lytic cycle results in immediate cell lysis, while the lysogenic cycle involves viral DNA integrating into the host genome without immediate destruction.
Why are some viruses host-specific?
Host specificity is determined by the compatibility between viral surface proteins and host cell receptors.
How do antiviral drugs target stages of viral replication?
Antiviral drugs can inhibit viral entry, uncoating, replication enzymes, assembly, or release.
What is the significance of the eclipse phase in viral replication?
The eclipse phase is when viruses cannot be detected in the host as they are disassembled within the host cell, prior to new virion assembly.
How do bacteriophages replicate within bacterial hosts?
Bacteriophages inject their DNA into bacteria, use bacterial machinery for replication, and often cause bacterial lysis to release new virions.
What role does genetic variation play in viral replication?
High mutation rates in viral replication lead to genetic diversity, impacting immune evasion and drug resistance.
Why do RNA viruses generally have a higher mutation rate than DNA viruses?
RNA viruses have higher mutation rates due to their lack of proofreading mechanisms during replication.
How does viral packaging occur during replication?
During viral packaging, newly synthesized viral genomes and proteins are enclosed within a protein coat to form virions.