121-395: Entomopoxvirinae is a subfamily of viruses , in the family Poxviridae . Insects, human, vertebrates, and arthropods serve as natural hosts. There are currently 31 species in this subfamily, divided among 4 genera with one species unassigned to a genus. Diseases associated with this subfamily include: impairment of motility and development. The virions are generally enveloped though
242-425: A virion , consists of nucleic acid surrounded by a protective coat of protein called a capsid . These are formed from protein subunits called capsomeres . Viruses can have a lipid "envelope" derived from the host cell membrane . The capsid is made from proteins encoded by the viral genome and its shape serves as the basis for morphological distinction. Virally-coded protein subunits will self-assemble to form
363-622: A basic optical microscope. In 2013, the Pandoravirus genus was discovered in Chile and Australia, and has genomes about twice as large as Megavirus and Mimivirus. All giant viruses have dsDNA genomes and they are classified into several families: Mimiviridae , Pithoviridae, Pandoraviridae , Phycodnaviridae , and the Mollivirus genus. Some viruses that infect Archaea have complex structures unrelated to any other form of virus, with
484-418: A capsid diameter of 400 nm. Protein filaments measuring 100 nm project from the surface. The capsid appears hexagonal under an electron microscope, therefore the capsid is probably icosahedral. In 2011, researchers discovered the largest then known virus in samples of water collected from the ocean floor off the coast of Las Cruces, Chile. Provisionally named Megavirus chilensis , it can be seen with
605-581: A capsid, in general requiring the presence of the virus genome. Complex viruses code for proteins that assist in the construction of their capsid. Proteins associated with nucleic acid are known as nucleoproteins , and the association of viral capsid proteins with viral nucleic acid is called a nucleocapsid. The capsid and entire virus structure can be mechanically (physically) probed through atomic force microscopy . In general, there are five main morphological virus types: The poxviruses are large, complex viruses that have an unusual morphology. The viral genome
726-639: A cellular structure, which is often seen as the basic unit of life. Viruses do not have their own metabolism and require a host cell to make new products. They therefore cannot naturally reproduce outside a host cell —although some bacteria such as rickettsia and chlamydia are considered living organisms despite the same limitation. Accepted forms of life use cell division to reproduce, whereas viruses spontaneously assemble within cells. They differ from autonomous growth of crystals as they inherit genetic mutations while being subject to natural selection. Virus self-assembly within host cells has implications for
847-535: A century, chemists regarded "fats" as only simple lipids made of fatty acids and glycerol (glycerides), but new forms were described later. Theodore Gobley (1847) discovered phospholipids in mammalian brain and hen egg, called by him as " lecithins ". Thudichum discovered in human brain some phospholipids ( cephalin ), glycolipids ( cerebroside ) and sphingolipids ( sphingomyelin ). The terms lipoid, lipin, lipide and lipid have been used with varied meanings from author to author. In 1912, Rosenbloom and Gies proposed
968-408: A complicated family of compounds that share a common structural feature, a sphingoid base backbone that is synthesized de novo from the amino acid serine and a long-chain fatty acyl CoA, then converted into ceramides , phosphosphingolipids, glycosphingolipids and other compounds. The major sphingoid base of mammals is commonly referred to as sphingosine . Ceramides (N-acyl-sphingoid bases) are
1089-415: A cycle of reactions that add the acetyl group, reduce it to an alcohol, dehydrate it to an alkene group and then reduce it again to an alkane group. The enzymes of fatty acid biosynthesis are divided into two groups, in animals and fungi all these fatty acid synthase reactions are carried out by a single multifunctional protein, while in plant plastids and bacteria separate enzymes perform each step in
1210-493: A different DNA (or RNA) molecule. This can occur when viruses infect cells simultaneously and studies of viral evolution have shown that recombination has been rampant in the species studied. Recombination is common to both RNA and DNA viruses. Coronaviruses have a single-strand positive-sense RNA genome. Replication of the genome is catalyzed by an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase . The mechanism of recombination used by coronaviruses likely involves template switching by
1331-417: A diverse family of molecules composed of one or more sugar residues linked via a glycosidic bond to the sphingoid base. Examples of these are the simple and complex glycosphingolipids such as cerebrosides and gangliosides . Sterols, such as cholesterol and its derivatives, are an important component of membrane lipids, along with the glycerophospholipids and sphingomyelins. Other examples of sterols are
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#17327932827441452-425: A dynamic lipid-bilayer matrix as revealed by magnetic resonance and electron microscope studies. A biological membrane is a form of lamellar phase lipid bilayer . The formation of lipid bilayers is an energetically preferred process when the glycerophospholipids described above are in an aqueous environment. This is known as the hydrophobic effect . In an aqueous system, the polar heads of lipids align towards
1573-644: A fatty acid contains a double bond, there is the possibility of either a cis or trans geometric isomerism , which significantly affects the molecule's configuration . Cis -double bonds cause the fatty acid chain to bend, an effect that is compounded with more double bonds in the chain. Three double bonds in 18-carbon linolenic acid , the most abundant fatty-acyl chains of plant thylakoid membranes , render these membranes highly fluid despite environmental low-temperatures, and also makes linolenic acid give dominating sharp peaks in high resolution 13-C NMR spectra of chloroplasts. This in turn plays an important role in
1694-559: A few species, or broad for viruses capable of infecting many. Viral infections in animals provoke an immune response that usually eliminates the infecting virus. Immune responses can also be produced by vaccines , which confer an artificially acquired immunity to the specific viral infection. Some viruses, including those that cause HIV/AIDS , HPV infection , and viral hepatitis , evade these immune responses and result in chronic infections. Several classes of antiviral drugs have been developed. The English word "virus" comes from
1815-549: A fluid, by Wendell Meredith Stanley , and the invention of the electron microscope in 1931 allowed their complex structures to be visualised. Scientific opinions differ on whether viruses are a form of life or organic structures that interact with living organisms. They have been described as "organisms at the edge of life", since they resemble organisms in that they possess genes , evolve by natural selection , and reproduce by creating multiple copies of themselves through self-assembly. Although they have genes, they do not have
1936-445: A genome size of only two kilobases; the largest—the pandoraviruses —have genome sizes of around two megabases which code for about 2500 proteins. Virus genes rarely have introns and often are arranged in the genome so that they overlap . In general, RNA viruses have smaller genome sizes than DNA viruses because of a higher error-rate when replicating, and have a maximum upper size limit. Beyond this, errors when replicating render
2057-471: A glycerol core linked to two fatty acid-derived "tails" by ester linkages and to one "head" group by a phosphate ester linkage. While glycerophospholipids are the major component of biological membranes, other non-glyceride lipid components such as sphingomyelin and sterols (mainly cholesterol in animal cell membranes) are also found in biological membranes. In plants and algae, the galactosyldiacylglycerols, and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol, which lack
2178-513: A ladder. The virus particles of some virus families, such as those belonging to the Hepadnaviridae , contain a genome that is partially double-stranded and partially single-stranded. For most viruses with RNA genomes and some with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) genomes, the single strands are said to be either positive-sense (called the 'plus-strand') or negative-sense (called the 'minus-strand'), depending on if they are complementary to
2299-436: A life form, because they carry genetic material, reproduce, and evolve through natural selection , although they lack some key characteristics, such as cell structure, that are generally considered necessary criteria for defining life. Because they possess some but not all such qualities, viruses have been described as "organisms at the edge of life" and as replicators . Viruses spread in many ways. One transmission pathway
2420-472: A limited range of hosts and many are species-specific. Some, such as smallpox virus for example, can infect only one species—in this case humans, and are said to have a narrow host range . Other viruses, such as rabies virus, can infect different species of mammals and are said to have a broad range. The viruses that infect plants are harmless to animals, and most viruses that infect other animals are harmless to humans. The host range of some bacteriophages
2541-457: A major subclass of sphingoid base derivatives with an amide -linked fatty acid. The fatty acids are typically saturated or mono-unsaturated with chain lengths from 16 to 26 carbon atoms. The major phosphosphingolipids of mammals are sphingomyelins (ceramide phosphocholines), whereas insects contain mainly ceramide phosphoethanolamines and fungi have phytoceramide phosphoinositols and mannose -containing headgroups. The glycosphingolipids are
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#17327932827442662-449: A non-bacterial pathogen infecting tobacco plants and the discovery of the tobacco mosaic virus by Martinus Beijerinck in 1898, more than 11,000 of the millions of virus species have been described in detail. The study of viruses is known as virology , a subspeciality of microbiology . When infected, a host cell is often forced to rapidly produce thousands of copies of the original virus. When not inside an infected cell or in
2783-469: A phosphate group, are important components of membranes of chloroplasts and related organelles and are among the most abundant lipids in photosynthetic tissues, including those of higher plants, algae and certain bacteria. Plant thylakoid membranes have the largest lipid component of a non-bilayer forming monogalactosyl diglyceride (MGDG), and little phospholipids; despite this unique lipid composition, chloroplast thylakoid membranes have been shown to contain
2904-538: A primary component of cellular membranes and binding sites for intra- and intercellular proteins, some glycerophospholipids in eukaryotic cells, such as phosphatidylinositols and phosphatidic acids are either precursors of or, themselves, membrane-derived second messengers . Typically, one or both of these hydroxyl groups are acylated with long-chain fatty acids, but there are also alkyl-linked and 1Z-alkenyl-linked ( plasmalogen ) glycerophospholipids, as well as dialkylether variants in archaebacteria. Sphingolipids are
3025-408: A prime target for natural selection. Segmented genomes confer evolutionary advantages; different strains of a virus with a segmented genome can shuffle and combine genes and produce progeny viruses (or offspring) that have unique characteristics. This is called reassortment or 'viral sex'. Genetic recombination is a process by which a strand of DNA (or RNA) is broken and then joined to the end of
3146-635: A process called fatty acid synthesis . They are made of a hydrocarbon chain that terminates with a carboxylic acid group; this arrangement confers the molecule with a polar , hydrophilic end, and a nonpolar, hydrophobic end that is insoluble in water. The fatty acid structure is one of the most fundamental categories of biological lipids and is commonly used as a building-block of more structurally complex lipids. The carbon chain, typically between four and 24 carbons long, may be saturated or unsaturated , and may be attached to functional groups containing oxygen , halogens , nitrogen , and sulfur . If
3267-421: A quinonoid core of non-isoprenoid origin. Vitamin E and vitamin K , as well as the ubiquinones , are examples of this class. Prokaryotes synthesize polyprenols (called bactoprenols ) in which the terminal isoprenoid unit attached to oxygen remains unsaturated, whereas in animal polyprenols ( dolichols ) the terminal isoprenoid is reduced. Saccharolipids describe compounds in which fatty acids are linked to
3388-456: A risk factor for cardiovascular disease . Fats that are good for one may be turned into trans fats by improper cooking methods that result in overcooking the lipids. A few studies have suggested that total dietary fat intake is linked to an increased risk of obesity. and diabetes; Others, including the Women's Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial, an eight-year study of 49,000 women,
3509-412: A single viral particle that is released from the cell and is capable of infecting other cells of the same type. Viruses are found wherever there is life and have probably existed since living cells first evolved . The origin of viruses is unclear because they do not form fossils, so molecular techniques are used to infer how they arose. In addition, viral genetic material occasionally integrates into
3630-465: A single, linear, double-stranded segment of DNA. Viral replication is cytoplasmic. Entry into the host cell is achieved by attachment of the viral proteins to host glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) mediates endocytosis of the virus into the host cell. Fusion with the plasma membrane to release the core into the host cytoplasm. Early phase: early genes are transcribed in the cytoplasm by viral RNA polymerase. Early expression begins at 30 minutes post-infection. Core
3751-460: A small part of the total diversity of viruses has been studied. As of 2022, 6 realms, 10 kingdoms, 17 phyla, 2 subphyla, 40 classes, 72 orders, 8 suborders, 264 families, 182 subfamilies , 2,818 genera, 84 subgenera , and 11,273 species of viruses have been defined by the ICTV. The general taxonomic structure of taxon ranges and the suffixes used in taxonomic names are shown hereafter. As of 2022,
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3872-505: A spherical immature particle. This virus particle matures into brick-shaped intracellular mature virion (IMV). IMV virion can be released upon cell lysis, or can acquire a second double membrane from trans-Golgi and bud as external enveloped virion (EEV). Mature virion can be occluded in spheroids composed of spheroidin proteinhost receptors, which mediates endocytosis. Replication follows the DNA strand displacement model. DNA-templated transcription
3993-690: A sugar backbone, forming structures that are compatible with membrane bilayers. In the saccharolipids, a monosaccharide substitutes for the glycerol backbone present in glycerolipids and glycerophospholipids. The most familiar saccharolipids are the acylated glucosamine precursors of the Lipid ;A component of the lipopolysaccharides in Gram-negative bacteria . Typical lipid A molecules are disaccharides of glucosamine, which are derivatized with as many as seven fatty-acyl chains. The minimal lipopolysaccharide required for growth in E. coli
4114-605: A wide diversity of sizes and shapes, called ' morphologies '. In general, viruses are much smaller than bacteria and more than a thousand bacteriophage viruses would fit inside an Escherichia coli bacterium's cell. Many viruses that have been studied are spherical and have a diameter between 20 and 300 nanometres . Some filoviruses , which are filaments, have a total length of up to 1400 nm; their diameters are only about 80 nm. Most viruses cannot be seen with an optical microscope , so scanning and transmission electron microscopes are used to visualise them. To increase
4235-553: A wide variety of unusual shapes, ranging from spindle-shaped structures to viruses that resemble hooked rods, teardrops or even bottles. Other archaeal viruses resemble the tailed bacteriophages, and can have multiple tail structures. An enormous variety of genomic structures can be seen among viral species ; as a group, they contain more structural genomic diversity than plants, animals, archaea, or bacteria. There are millions of different types of viruses, although fewer than 7,000 types have been described in detail. As of January 2021,
4356-407: Is steroid biosynthesis . Here, the isoprene units are joined together to make squalene and then folded up and formed into a set of rings to make lanosterol . Lanosterol can then be converted into other steroids such as cholesterol and ergosterol. Beta oxidation is the metabolic process by which fatty acids are broken down in the mitochondria or in peroxisomes to generate acetyl-CoA . For
4477-926: Is Kdo 2 -Lipid A, a hexa-acylated disaccharide of glucosamine that is glycosylated with two 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo) residues. Polyketides are synthesized by polymerization of acetyl and propionyl subunits by classic enzymes as well as iterative and multimodular enzymes that share mechanistic features with the fatty acid synthases . They comprise many secondary metabolites and natural products from animal, plant, bacterial, fungal and marine sources, and have great structural diversity. Many polyketides are cyclic molecules whose backbones are often further modified by glycosylation , methylation , hydroxylation , oxidation , or other processes. Many commonly used antimicrobial , antiparasitic , and anticancer agents are polyketides or polyketide derivatives, such as erythromycins , tetracyclines , avermectins , and antitumor epothilones . Eukaryotic cells feature
4598-416: Is a feature of many bacterial and some animal viruses. Some viruses undergo a lysogenic cycle where the viral genome is incorporated by genetic recombination into a specific place in the host's chromosome. The viral genome is then known as a " provirus " or, in the case of bacteriophages a " prophage ". Whenever the host divides, the viral genome is also replicated. The viral genome is mostly silent within
4719-405: Is a major change in the genome of the virus. This can be a result of recombination or reassortment . The Influenza A virus is highly prone to reassortment; occasionally this has resulted in novel strains which have caused pandemics . RNA viruses often exist as quasispecies or swarms of viruses of the same species but with slightly different genome nucleoside sequences. Such quasispecies are
4840-464: Is a vital part of the cell signaling . Lipid signaling may occur via activation of G protein-coupled or nuclear receptors , and members of several different lipid categories have been identified as signaling molecules and cellular messengers . These include sphingosine-1-phosphate , a sphingolipid derived from ceramide that is a potent messenger molecule involved in regulating calcium mobilization, cell growth, and apoptosis; diacylglycerol and
4961-419: Is also important in biological systems, particularly with respect to sight. Other major lipid classes in the fatty acid category are the fatty esters and fatty amides. Fatty esters include important biochemical intermediates such as wax esters , fatty acid thioester coenzyme A derivatives, fatty acid thioester ACP derivatives and fatty acid carnitines. The fatty amides include N-acyl ethanolamines , such as
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5082-523: Is always pronounced (ɪd). In 1947, T. P. Hilditch defined "simple lipids" as greases and waxes (true waxes, sterols, alcohols). Lipids have been classified into eight categories by the Lipid MAPS consortium as follows: Fatty acyls, a generic term for describing fatty acids, their conjugates and derivatives, are a diverse group of molecules synthesized by chain-elongation of an acetyl-CoA primer with malonyl-CoA or methylmalonyl-CoA groups in
5203-416: Is an area of study within biophysics . Micelles and bilayers form in the polar medium by a process known as the hydrophobic effect. When dissolving a lipophilic or amphiphilic substance in a polar environment, the polar molecules (i.e., water in an aqueous solution) become more ordered around the dissolved lipophilic substance, since the polar molecules cannot form hydrogen bonds to the lipophilic areas of
5324-415: Is an oversupply of dietary carbohydrate, the excess carbohydrate is converted to triglycerides. This involves the synthesis of fatty acids from acetyl-CoA and the esterification of fatty acids in the production of triglycerides, a process called lipogenesis . Fatty acids are made by fatty acid synthases that polymerize and then reduce acetyl-CoA units. The acyl chains in the fatty acids are extended by
5445-400: Is associated with proteins within a central disc structure known as a nucleoid . The nucleoid is surrounded by a membrane and two lateral bodies of unknown function. The virus has an outer envelope with a thick layer of protein studded over its surface. The whole virion is slightly pleomorphic , ranging from ovoid to brick-shaped. Mimivirus is one of the largest characterised viruses, with
5566-439: Is caused by cessation of its normal activities because of suppression by virus-specific proteins, not all of which are components of the virus particle. The distinction between cytopathic and harmless is gradual. Some viruses, such as Epstein–Barr virus , can cause cells to proliferate without causing malignancy, while others, such as papillomaviruses , are established causes of cancer. Some viruses cause no apparent changes to
5687-415: Is completely uncoated as early expression ends, viral genome is now free in the cytoplasm. Intermediate phase: Intermediate genes are expressed, triggering genomic DNA replication at approximately 100 minutes post-infection. Late phase: Late genes are expressed from 140 min to 48 hours post-infection, producing all structural proteins. Assembly of progeny virions starts in cytoplasmic viral factories, producing
5808-552: Is controversy over whether the bornavirus , previously thought to cause neurological diseases in horses, could be responsible for psychiatric illnesses in humans. Lipid Lipids are a broad group of organic compounds which include fats , waxes , sterols , fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A , D , E and K ), monoglycerides , diglycerides , phospholipids , and others. The functions of lipids include storing energy, signaling , and acting as structural components of cell membranes . Lipids have applications in
5929-512: Is correct. It seems unlikely that all currently known viruses have a common ancestor, and viruses have probably arisen numerous times in the past by one or more mechanisms. The first evidence of the existence of viruses came from experiments with filters that had pores small enough to retain bacteria. In 1892, Dmitri Ivanovsky used one of these filters to show that sap from a diseased tobacco plant remained infectious to healthy tobacco plants despite having been filtered. Martinus Beijerinck called
6050-507: Is first recorded in 1728, long before the discovery of viruses by Dmitri Ivanovsky in 1892. The English plural is viruses (sometimes also vira ), whereas the Latin word is a mass noun , which has no classically attested plural ( vīra is used in Neo-Latin ). The adjective viral dates to 1948. The term virion (plural virions ), which dates from 1959, is also used to refer to
6171-607: Is identical in sequence to the viral mRNA and is thus a coding strand, while negative-sense viral ssDNA is complementary to the viral mRNA and is thus a template strand. Several types of ssDNA and ssRNA viruses have genomes that are ambisense in that transcription can occur off both strands in a double-stranded replicative intermediate. Examples include geminiviruses , which are ssDNA plant viruses and arenaviruses , which are ssRNA viruses of animals. Genome size varies greatly between species. The smallest—the ssDNA circoviruses, family Circoviridae —code for only two proteins and have
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#17327932827446292-438: Is in the form of triglycerides, cholesterol, and phospholipids. Some dietary fat is necessary to facilitate absorption of fat-soluble vitamins ( A , D , E , and K ) and carotenoids . Humans and other mammals have a dietary requirement for certain essential fatty acids, such as linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid ) and alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) because they cannot be synthesized from simple precursors in
6413-431: Is limited to a single strain of bacteria and they can be used to trace the source of outbreaks of infections by a method called phage typing . The complete set of viruses in an organism or habitat is called the virome ; for example, all human viruses constitute the human virome . A novel virus is one that has not previously been recorded. It can be a virus that is isolated from its natural reservoir or isolated as
6534-449: Is the method of transcription. The virus exits the host cell by existing in occlusion bodies after cell death and remaining infectious until finding another host. Insects, human, vertebrates, and arthropods serve as the natural host. The classification in this subfamily is based on the morphology, nucleic acid type, mode of replication, host organisms and the type of disease caused. The following subfamilies are recognized: Additionally,
6655-475: Is through disease-bearing organisms known as vectors : for example, viruses are often transmitted from plant to plant by insects that feed on plant sap , such as aphids ; and viruses in animals can be carried by blood-sucking insects. Many viruses spread in the air by coughing and sneezing, including influenza viruses , SARS-CoV-2 , chickenpox , smallpox , and measles . Norovirus and rotavirus , common causes of viral gastroenteritis , are transmitted by
6776-477: The CD4 molecule—a chemokine receptor —which is most commonly found on the surface of CD4+ T-Cells . This mechanism has evolved to favour those viruses that infect only cells in which they are capable of replication. Attachment to the receptor can induce the viral envelope protein to undergo changes that result in the fusion of viral and cellular membranes, or changes of non-enveloped virus surface proteins that allow
6897-555: The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) was formed. The system proposed by Lwoff, Horne and Tournier was initially not accepted by the ICTV because the small genome size of viruses and their high rate of mutation made it difficult to determine their ancestry beyond order. As such, the Baltimore classification system has come to be used to supplement the more traditional hierarchy. Starting in 2018,
7018-690: The Latin vīrus , which refers to poison and other noxious liquids. Vīrus comes from the same Indo-European root as Sanskrit viṣa , Avestan vīša , and Ancient Greek ἰός ( iós ), which all mean "poison". The first attested use of "virus" in English appeared in 1398 in John Trevisa 's translation of Bartholomeus Anglicus 's De Proprietatibus Rerum . Virulent , from Latin virulentus ('poisonous'), dates to c. 1400 . A meaning of 'agent that causes infectious disease'
7139-490: The NCBI Virus genome database has more than 193,000 complete genome sequences, but there are doubtlessly many more to be discovered. A virus has either a DNA or an RNA genome and is called a DNA virus or an RNA virus , respectively. Most viruses have RNA genomes. Plant viruses tend to have single-stranded RNA genomes and bacteriophages tend to have double-stranded DNA genomes. Viral genomes are circular, as in
7260-418: The bile acids and their conjugates, which in mammals are oxidized derivatives of cholesterol and are synthesized in the liver. The plant equivalents are the phytosterols , such as β-sitosterol , stigmasterol , and brassicasterol ; the latter compound is also used as a biomarker for algal growth. The predominant sterol in fungal cell membranes is ergosterol . Sterols are steroids in which one of
7381-470: The cannabinoid neurotransmitter anandamide . Glycerolipids are composed of mono-, di-, and tri-substituted glycerols , the best-known being the fatty acid triesters of glycerol, called triglycerides . The word "triacylglycerol" is sometimes used synonymously with "triglyceride". In these compounds, the three hydroxyl groups of glycerol are each esterified, typically by different fatty acids. Because they function as an energy store, these lipids comprise
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#17327932827447502-508: The carotenoids , are made by the assembly and modification of isoprene units donated from the reactive precursors isopentenyl pyrophosphate and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate . These precursors can be made in different ways. In animals and archaea , the mevalonate pathway produces these compounds from acetyl-CoA, while in plants and bacteria the non-mevalonate pathway uses pyruvate and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate as substrates. One important reaction that uses these activated isoprene donors
7623-403: The citric acid cycle and the electron transport chain . Hence the citric acid cycle can start at acetyl-CoA when fat is being broken down for energy if there is little or no glucose available. The energy yield of the complete oxidation of the fatty acid palmitate is 106 ATP. Unsaturated and odd-chain fatty acids require additional enzymatic steps for degradation. Most of the fat found in food
7744-539: The common cold , influenza , chickenpox , and cold sores . Many serious diseases such as rabies , Ebola virus disease , AIDS (HIV) , avian influenza , and SARS are caused by viruses. The relative ability of viruses to cause disease is described in terms of virulence . Other diseases are under investigation to discover if they have a virus as the causative agent, such as the possible connection between human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6) and neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis and chronic fatigue syndrome . There
7865-790: The cosmetic and food industries , and in nanotechnology . Lipids may be broadly defined as hydrophobic or amphiphilic small molecules; the amphiphilic nature of some lipids allows them to form structures such as vesicles , multilamellar/ unilamellar liposomes , or membranes in an aqueous environment. Biological lipids originate entirely or in part from two distinct types of biochemical subunits or "building-blocks": ketoacyl and isoprene groups. Using this approach, lipids may be divided into eight categories: fatty acyls , glycerolipids , glycerophospholipids , sphingolipids , saccharolipids , and polyketides (derived from condensation of ketoacyl subunits); and sterol lipids and prenol lipids (derived from condensation of isoprene subunits). Although
7986-422: The faecal–oral route , passed by hand-to-mouth contact or in food or water. The infectious dose of norovirus required to produce infection in humans is fewer than 100 particles. HIV is one of several viruses transmitted through sexual contact and by exposure to infected blood. The variety of host cells that a virus can infect is called its host range : this is narrow for viruses specialized to infect only
8107-430: The germline of the host organisms, by which they can be passed on vertically to the offspring of the host for many generations. This provides an invaluable source of information for paleovirologists to trace back ancient viruses that existed as far back as millions of years ago. There are three main hypotheses that aim to explain the origins of viruses: In the past, there were problems with all of these hypotheses:
8228-436: The intracellular mature virion form of the virus, which contains a different envelope, is also infectious. They vary in their shape depending upon the species but are generally shaped like a brick or as an oval form similar to a rounded brick because they are wrapped by the endoplasmic reticulum. The genome is exceptionally large, around 250-380kb in length and the virion diameter is around 350 nm. It carries its genome in
8349-548: The phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIPs), involved in calcium-mediated activation of protein kinase C ; the prostaglandins , which are one type of fatty-acid derived eicosanoid involved in inflammation and immunity ; the steroid hormones such as estrogen , testosterone and cortisol , which modulate a host of functions such as reproduction, metabolism and blood pressure; and the oxysterols such as 25-hydroxy-cholesterol that are liver X receptor agonists . Phosphatidylserine lipids are known to be involved in signaling for
8470-408: The polyomaviruses , or linear, as in the adenoviruses . The type of nucleic acid is irrelevant to the shape of the genome. Among RNA viruses and certain DNA viruses, the genome is often divided into separate parts, in which case it is called segmented. For RNA viruses, each segment often codes for only one protein and they are usually found together in one capsid. All segments are not required to be in
8591-480: The progestogens as well as the glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids . The secosteroids , comprising various forms of vitamin D , are characterized by cleavage of the B ring of the core structure. Prenol lipids are synthesized from the five-carbon-unit precursors isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate , which are produced mainly via the mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway. The simple isoprenoids (linear alcohols, diphosphates, etc.) are formed by
8712-447: The three domains . This discovery has led modern virologists to reconsider and re-evaluate these three classical hypotheses. The evidence for an ancestral world of RNA cells and computer analysis of viral and host DNA sequences give a better understanding of the evolutionary relationships between different viruses and may help identify the ancestors of modern viruses. To date, such analyses have not proved which of these hypotheses
8833-527: The ICTV began to acknowledge deeper evolutionary relationships between viruses that have been discovered over time and adopted a 15-rank classification system ranging from realm to species. Additionally, some species within the same genus are grouped into a genogroup . The ICTV developed the current classification system and wrote guidelines that put a greater weight on certain virus properties to maintain family uniformity. A unified taxonomy (a universal system for classifying viruses) has been established. Only
8954-560: The Nurses' Health Study, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, revealed no such links. None of these studies suggested any connection between percentage of calories from fat and risk of cancer, heart disease, or weight gain. The Nutrition Source, a website maintained by the department of nutrition at the T. H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University , summarizes the current evidence on
9075-568: The amphiphile. So in an aqueous environment, the water molecules form an ordered " clathrate " cage around the dissolved lipophilic molecule. The formation of lipids into protocell membranes represents a key step in models of abiogenesis , the origin of life. Triglycerides, stored in adipose tissue, are a major form of energy storage both in animals and plants. They are a major source of energy in aerobic respiration. The complete oxidation of fatty acids releases about 38 kJ/g (9 kcal/g ), compared with only 17 kJ/g (4 kcal/g) for
9196-489: The basis of similarities. In 1962, André Lwoff , Robert Horne , and Paul Tournier were the first to develop a means of virus classification, based on the Linnaean hierarchical system. This system based classification on phylum , class , order , family , genus , and species . Viruses were grouped according to their shared properties (not those of their hosts) and the type of nucleic acid forming their genomes. In 1966,
9317-644: The brain) contains relatively high amounts of glycerophospholipids, and alterations in their composition has been implicated in various neurological disorders. Glycerophospholipids may be subdivided into distinct classes, based on the nature of the polar headgroup at the sn -3 position of the glycerol backbone in eukaryotes and eubacteria, or the sn -1 position in the case of archaebacteria . Examples of glycerophospholipids found in biological membranes are phosphatidylcholine (also known as PC, GPCho or lecithin ), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE or GPEtn) and phosphatidylserine (PS or GPSer). In addition to serving as
9438-450: The bulk of storage fat in animal tissues. The hydrolysis of the ester bonds of triglycerides and the release of glycerol and fatty acids from adipose tissue are the initial steps in metabolizing fat. Additional subclasses of glycerolipids are represented by glycosylglycerols, which are characterized by the presence of one or more sugar residues attached to glycerol via a glycosidic linkage . Examples of structures in this category are
9559-485: The cells or cell fragments exposing them. The "fat-soluble" vitamins ( A , D , E and K ) – which are isoprene -based lipids – are essential nutrients stored in the liver and fatty tissues, with a diverse range of functions. Acyl-carnitines are involved in the transport and metabolism of fatty acids in and out of mitochondria, where they undergo beta oxidation . Polyprenols and their phosphorylated derivatives also play important transport roles, in this case
9680-513: The compartmentalized membrane-bound organelles that carry out different biological functions. The glycerophospholipids are the main structural component of biological membranes , as the cellular plasma membrane and the intracellular membranes of organelles; in animal cells, the plasma membrane physically separates the intracellular components from the extracellular environment. The glycerophospholipids are amphipathic molecules (containing both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions) that contain
9801-501: The concept not only the traditional fats (glycerides), but also the "lipoids", with a complex constitution. The word lipide was unanimously approved by the international commission of the Société de Chimie Biologique during the plenary session on July 3, 1923. The word lipide was later anglicized as lipid because of its pronunciation ('lɪpɪd). In French, the suffix -ide , from Ancient Greek -ίδης (meaning 'son of' or 'descendant of'),
9922-410: The contrast between viruses and the background, electron-dense "stains" are used. These are solutions of salts of heavy metals, such as tungsten , that scatter the electrons from regions covered with the stain. When virions are coated with stain (positive staining), fine detail is obscured. Negative staining overcomes this problem by staining the background only. A complete virus particle, known as
10043-424: The diet. Both of these fatty acids are 18-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids differing in the number and position of the double bonds. Most vegetable oils are rich in linoleic acid ( safflower , sunflower , and corn oils). Alpha-linolenic acid is found in the green leaves of plants and in some seeds, nuts, and legumes (in particular flax , rapeseed , walnut , and soy ). Fish oils are particularly rich in
10164-486: The diet. In 1815, Henri Braconnot classified lipids ( graisses ) in two categories, suifs (solid greases or tallow) and huiles (fluid oils). In 1823, Michel Eugène Chevreul developed a more detailed classification, including oils, greases, tallow, waxes, resins, balsams and volatile oils (or essential oils). The first synthetic triglyceride was reported by Théophile-Jules Pelouze in 1844, when he produced tributyrin by treating butyric acid with glycerin in
10285-403: The digalactosyldiacylglycerols found in plant membranes and seminolipid from mammalian sperm cells . Glycerophospholipids, usually referred to as phospholipids (though sphingomyelins are also classified as phospholipids), are ubiquitous in nature and are key components of the lipid bilayer of cells, as well as being involved in metabolism and cell signaling . Neural tissue (including
10406-431: The extreme of the ssRNA virus case. Viruses undergo genetic change by several mechanisms. These include a process called antigenic drift where individual bases in the DNA or RNA mutate to other bases. Most of these point mutations are "silent"—they do not change the protein that the gene encodes—but others can confer evolutionary advantages such as resistance to antiviral drugs . Antigenic shift occurs when there
10527-446: The filtered, infectious substance a "virus" and this discovery is considered to be the beginning of virology. The subsequent discovery and partial characterization of bacteriophages by Frederick Twort and Félix d'Herelle further catalyzed the field, and by the early 20th century many viruses had been discovered. In 1926, Thomas Milton Rivers defined viruses as obligate parasites. Viruses were demonstrated to be particles, rather than
10648-464: The following species is not assigned to a genus: Viruses A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism . Viruses infect all life forms , from animals and plants to microorganisms , including bacteria and archaea . Viruses are found in almost every ecosystem on Earth and are the most numerous type of biological entity. Since Dmitri Ivanovsky 's 1892 article describing
10769-399: The form of single-stranded nucleoprotein complexes, through pores called plasmodesmata . Bacteria, like plants, have strong cell walls that a virus must breach to infect the cell. Given that bacterial cell walls are much thinner than plant cell walls due to their much smaller size, some viruses have evolved mechanisms that inject their genome into the bacterial cell across the cell wall, while
10890-406: The host. At some point, the provirus or prophage may give rise to the active virus, which may lyse the host cells. Enveloped viruses (e.g., HIV) typically are released from the host cell by budding . During this process, the virus acquires its envelope, which is a modified piece of the host's plasma or other, internal membrane. The genetic material within virus particles, and the method by which
11011-483: The hydrogen atoms is substituted with a hydroxyl group , at position 3 in the carbon chain. They have in common with steroids the same fused four-ring core structure. Steroids have different biological roles as hormones and signaling molecules . The eighteen-carbon (C18) steroids include the estrogen family whereas the C19 steroids comprise the androgens such as testosterone and androsterone . The C21 subclass includes
11132-517: The infected cell. Cells in which the virus is latent and inactive show few signs of infection and often function normally. This causes persistent infections and the virus is often dormant for many months or years. This is often the case with herpes viruses . Viruses are by far the most abundant biological entities on Earth and they outnumber all the others put together. They infect all types of cellular life including animals, plants, bacteria and fungi . Different types of viruses can infect only
11253-482: The inner mitochondrial membrane. They are believed to activate enzymes involved with oxidative phosphorylation . Lipids also form the basis of steroid hormones. The major dietary lipids for humans and other animals are animal and plant triglycerides, sterols, and membrane phospholipids. The process of lipid metabolism synthesizes and degrades the lipid stores and produces the structural and functional lipids characteristic of individual tissues. In animals, when there
11374-501: The longer-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid . Many studies have shown positive health benefits associated with consumption of omega-3 fatty acids on infant development, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and various mental illnesses (such as depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and dementia). In contrast, it is now well-established that consumption of trans fats , such as those present in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils , are
11495-416: The material is replicated, varies considerably between different types of viruses. The range of structural and biochemical effects that viruses have on the host cell is extensive. These are called ' cytopathic effects '. Most virus infections eventually result in the death of the host cell. The causes of death include cell lysis, alterations to the cell's surface membrane and apoptosis . Often cell death
11616-468: The most part, fatty acids are oxidized by a mechanism that is similar to, but not identical with, a reversal of the process of fatty acid synthesis. That is, two-carbon fragments are removed sequentially from the carboxyl end of the acid after steps of dehydrogenation , hydration , and oxidation to form a beta-keto acid , which is split by thiolysis . The acetyl-CoA is then ultimately converted into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), CO 2 , and H 2 O using
11737-461: The original virus. Their life cycle differs greatly between species, but there are six basic stages in their life cycle: Attachment is a specific binding between viral capsid proteins and specific receptors on the host cellular surface. This specificity determines the host range and type of host cell of a virus. For example, HIV infects a limited range of human leucocytes . This is because its surface protein, gp120 , specifically interacts with
11858-414: The oxidative breakdown of carbohydrates and proteins . The adipocyte , or fat cell, is designed for continuous synthesis and breakdown of triglycerides in animals, with breakdown controlled mainly by the activation of hormone-sensitive enzyme lipase . Migratory birds that must fly long distances without eating use triglycerides to fuel their flights. Evidence has emerged showing that lipid signaling
11979-460: The pathway. The fatty acids may be subsequently converted to triglycerides that are packaged in lipoproteins and secreted from the liver. The synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids involves a desaturation reaction, whereby a double bond is introduced into the fatty acyl chain. For example, in humans, the desaturation of stearic acid by stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 produces oleic acid . The doubly unsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid as well as
12100-400: The phagocytosis of apoptotic cells or pieces of cells. They accomplish this by being exposed to the extracellular face of the cell membrane after the inactivation of flippases which place them exclusively on the cytosolic side and the activation of scramblases, which scramble the orientation of the phospholipids. After this occurs, other cells recognize the phosphatidylserines and phagocytosize
12221-418: The polar, aqueous environment, while the hydrophobic tails minimize their contact with water and tend to cluster together, forming a vesicle ; depending on the concentration of the lipid, this biophysical interaction may result in the formation of micelles , liposomes , or lipid bilayers . Other aggregations are also observed and form part of the polymorphism of amphiphile (lipid) behavior. Phase behavior
12342-416: The polymerase during genome replication. This process appears to be an adaptation for coping with genome damage. Viral populations do not grow through cell division, because they are acellular. Instead, they use the machinery and metabolism of a host cell to produce multiple copies of themselves, and they assemble in the cell. When infected, the host cell is forced to rapidly produce thousands of copies of
12463-538: The presence of concentrated sulfuric acid . Several years later, Marcellin Berthelot , one of Pelouze's students, synthesized tristearin and tripalmitin by reaction of the analogous fatty acids with glycerin in the presence of gaseous hydrogen chloride at high temperature. In 1827, William Prout recognized fat ("oily" alimentary matters), along with protein ("albuminous") and carbohydrate ("saccharine"), as an important nutrient for humans and animals. For
12584-621: The process of infecting a cell, viruses exist in the form of independent viral particles, or virions , consisting of (i) genetic material , i.e., long molecules of DNA or RNA that encode the structure of the proteins by which the virus acts; (ii) a protein coat, the capsid , which surrounds and protects the genetic material; and in some cases (iii) an outside envelope of lipids . The shapes of these virus particles range from simple helical and icosahedral forms to more complex structures. Most virus species have virions too small to be seen with an optical microscope and are one-hundredth
12705-965: The ranks of subrealm, subkingdom, and subclass are unused, whereas all other ranks are in use. The Nobel Prize-winning biologist David Baltimore devised the Baltimore classification system. The ICTV classification system is used in conjunction with the Baltimore classification system in modern virus classification. The Baltimore classification of viruses is based on the mechanism of mRNA production. Viruses must generate mRNAs from their genomes to produce proteins and replicate themselves, but different mechanisms are used to achieve this in each virus family. Viral genomes may be single-stranded (ss) or double-stranded (ds), RNA or DNA, and may or may not use reverse transcriptase (RT). In addition, ssRNA viruses may be either sense (+) or antisense (−). This classification places viruses into seven groups: Examples of common human diseases caused by viruses include
12826-422: The regressive hypothesis did not explain why even the smallest of cellular parasites do not resemble viruses in any way. The escape hypothesis did not explain the complex capsids and other structures on virus particles. The virus-first hypothesis contravened the definition of viruses in that they require host cells. Viruses are now recognised as ancient and as having origins that pre-date the divergence of life into
12947-484: The result of spread to an animal or human host where the virus had not been identified before. It can be an emergent virus , one that represents a new virus, but it can also be an extant virus that has not been previously identified . The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic is an example of a novel virus. Classification seeks to describe the diversity of viruses by naming and grouping them on
13068-451: The same virion for the virus to be infectious, as demonstrated by brome mosaic virus and several other plant viruses. A viral genome, irrespective of nucleic acid type, is almost always either single-stranded (ss) or double-stranded (ds). Single-stranded genomes consist of an unpaired nucleic acid, analogous to one-half of a ladder split down the middle. Double-stranded genomes consist of two complementary paired nucleic acids, analogous to
13189-462: The size of most bacteria. The origins of viruses in the evolutionary history of life are still unclear. Some viruses may have evolved from plasmids , which are pieces of DNA that can move between cells. Other viruses may have evolved from bacteria. In evolution, viruses are an important means of horizontal gene transfer , which increases genetic diversity in a way analogous to sexual reproduction . Viruses are considered by some biologists to be
13310-448: The structure and function of cell membranes. Most naturally occurring fatty acids are of the cis configuration, although the trans form does exist in some natural and partially hydrogenated fats and oils. Examples of biologically important fatty acids include the eicosanoids , derived primarily from arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid , that include prostaglandins , leukotrienes , and thromboxanes . Docosahexaenoic acid
13431-399: The structure-mediated self-assembly of the virus particles, some modification of the proteins often occurs. In viruses such as HIV, this modification (sometimes called maturation) occurs after the virus has been released from the host cell. Release – Viruses can be released from the host cell by lysis , a process that kills the cell by bursting its membrane and cell wall if present: this
13552-457: The study of the origin of life , as it lends further credence to the hypothesis that life could have started as self-assembling organic molecules . The virocell model first proposed by Patrick Forterre considers the infected cell to be the "living form" of viruses and that virus particles (virions) are analogous to spores . Although the living versus non-living debate continues, the virocell model has gained some acceptance. Viruses display
13673-481: The substitution of "lipoid" by "lipin". In 1920, Bloor introduced a new classification for "lipoids": simple lipoids (greases and waxes), compound lipoids (phospholipoids and glycolipoids), and the derived lipoids (fatty acids, alcohols , sterols). The word lipide , which stems etymologically from Greek λίπος, lipos 'fat', was introduced in 1923 by the French pharmacologist Gabriel Bertrand . Bertrand included in
13794-437: The successive addition of C5 units, and are classified according to number of these terpene units. Structures containing greater than 40 carbons are known as polyterpenes. Carotenoids are important simple isoprenoids that function as antioxidants and as precursors of vitamin A . Another biologically important class of molecules is exemplified by the quinones and hydroquinones , which contain an isoprenoid tail attached to
13915-507: The term "lipid" is sometimes used as a synonym for fats, fats are a subgroup of lipids called triglycerides . Lipids also encompass molecules such as fatty acids and their derivatives (including tri-, di-, monoglycerides, and phospholipids), as well as other sterol -containing metabolites such as cholesterol . Although humans and other mammals use various biosynthetic pathways both to break down and to synthesize lipids, some essential lipids cannot be made this way and must be obtained from
14036-511: The transport of oligosaccharides across membranes. Polyprenol phosphate sugars and polyprenol diphosphate sugars function in extra-cytoplasmic glycosylation reactions, in extracellular polysaccharide biosynthesis (for instance, peptidoglycan polymerization in bacteria), and in eukaryotic protein N- glycosylation . Cardiolipins are a subclass of glycerophospholipids containing four acyl chains and three glycerol groups that are particularly abundant in
14157-422: The triply unsaturated α-linolenic acid cannot be synthesized in mammalian tissues, and are therefore essential fatty acids and must be obtained from the diet. Triglyceride synthesis takes place in the endoplasmic reticulum by metabolic pathways in which acyl groups in fatty acyl-CoAs are transferred to the hydroxyl groups of glycerol-3-phosphate and diacylglycerol. Terpenes and isoprenoids , including
14278-446: The viral messenger RNA (mRNA). Positive-sense viral RNA is in the same sense as viral mRNA and thus at least a part of it can be immediately translated by the host cell. Negative-sense viral RNA is complementary to mRNA and thus must be converted to positive-sense RNA by an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase before translation. DNA nomenclature for viruses with genomic ssDNA is similar to RNA nomenclature, in that positive-strand viral ssDNA
14399-824: The viral capsid remains outside. Uncoating is a process in which the viral capsid is removed: This may be by degradation by viral enzymes or host enzymes or by simple dissociation; the end-result is the releasing of the viral genomic nucleic acid. Replication of viruses involves primarily multiplication of the genome. Replication involves the synthesis of viral messenger RNA (mRNA) from "early" genes (with exceptions for positive-sense RNA viruses), viral protein synthesis , possible assembly of viral proteins, then viral genome replication mediated by early or regulatory protein expression. This may be followed, for complex viruses with larger genomes, by one or more further rounds of mRNA synthesis: "late" gene expression is, in general, of structural or virion proteins. Assembly – Following
14520-503: The virus to enter. Penetration or viral entry follows attachment: Virions enter the host cell through receptor-mediated endocytosis or membrane fusion . The infection of plant and fungal cells is different from that of animal cells. Plants have a rigid cell wall made of cellulose , and fungi one of chitin, so most viruses can get inside these cells only after trauma to the cell wall. Nearly all plant viruses (such as tobacco mosaic virus) can also move directly from cell to cell, in
14641-460: The virus useless or uncompetitive. To compensate, RNA viruses often have segmented genomes—the genome is split into smaller molecules—thus reducing the chance that an error in a single-component genome will incapacitate the entire genome. In contrast, DNA viruses generally have larger genomes because of the high fidelity of their replication enzymes. Single-strand DNA viruses are an exception to this rule, as mutation rates for these genomes can approach
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