BMI3705- Comprehensive Virology
Mastery Exam Elaboration Question and
Answers [100% Correct] 2025 Latest
Release!!
Explain the primary differences between the lytic and lysogenic cycles of bacteriophages.
The lytic cycle leads to the destruction of the host cell and immediate production...
BMI3705- Comprehensive Virology
Mastery Exam Elaboration Question and
Answers [100% Correct] 2025 Latest
Release!!
Explain the primary differences between the lytic and lysogenic cycles of bacteriophages.
The lytic cycle leads to the destruction of the host cell and immediate production of new virions,
while the lysogenic cycle integrates the viral genome into the host DNA, lying dormant until activated.
Describe how the structure of a non-enveloped virus enhances its stability outside a host.
Non-enveloped viruses are more stable due to their protein capsid, which protects against
environmental conditions, unlike the lipid bilayer of enveloped viruses that is more susceptible to
desiccation and chemicals.
Explain the role of reverse transcriptase in retroviruses.
Reverse transcriptase allows retroviruses to synthesize DNA from their RNA genome, integrating
into the host genome for replication.
Discuss the importance of receptor-mediated endocytosis in viral entry.
Many viruses rely on receptor-mediated endocytosis to attach to specific host cell receptors,
facilitating entry into cells through endocytotic vesicles.
How do antiviral drugs like protease inhibitors function against HIV?
Protease inhibitors prevent the cleavage of viral polyproteins, halting the production of mature
infectious virions.
Identify how genetic reassortment contributes to influenza virus variability.
Genetic reassortment allows for the exchange of genetic segments when two different strains
infect the same host, leading to antigenic shift.
1
,Explain the function of hemagglutinin in the influenza virus.
Hemagglutinin binds to sialic acid on the surface of host cells, facilitating viral attachment and
entry.
What is antigenic drift and how does it affect viral evolution?
Antigenic drift involves small, gradual mutations in viral genes encoding surface proteins, leading
to changes in immune recognition and sometimes vaccine efficacy.
Describe why RNA viruses typically have higher mutation rates than DNA viruses.
RNA viruses lack the proofreading mechanisms of DNA-dependent DNA polymerases, resulting in
higher mutation frequencies.
Explain why certain viruses are oncogenic.
Oncogenic viruses can integrate into the host genome or express viral proteins that disrupt cell
cycle regulation, leading to uncontrolled proliferation.
Describe how viruses evade immune detection through antigenic variation.
Viruses alter their surface proteins to avoid recognition and neutralization by the host’s immune
system.
Explain how phage therapy works and its potential use in combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Phage therapy employs bacteriophages to target and lyse specific bacteria, offering a targeted
approach to eliminate antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
Identify the role of interferons in viral infections.
Interferons are cytokines that induce antiviral states in cells, inhibiting viral replication and
enhancing immune responses.
Discuss the role of viral vectors in gene therapy.
Viral vectors are modified to deliver therapeutic genes to target cells, correcting genetic defects
or introducing new functions.
2
, Describe how viral quasispecies contribute to viral adaptability.
Viral quasispecies consist of diverse mutant spectra within a viral population, enhancing
adaptability to changing environments.
What is viral tropism and what determines a virus's specific tropism?
Viral tropism refers to the specificity of a virus for a particular host cell type, often determined by
receptor compatibility and cellular factors.
How do viruses like herpes simplex establish latency?
Herpes simplex virus persists in host cells by maintaining its genome in an episomal form,
becoming latent with periodic reactivation.
Explain the concept of zoonotic viruses.
Zoonotic viruses originate in animals and can cross species barriers to infect humans, sometimes
resulting in pandemics.
Describe how a defective interfering particle (DIP) can modulate a viral infection.
DIPs are replication-deficient viral particles that compete with functional virus replication,
reducing overall viral load.
Discuss how structural symmetry of icosahedral viruses benefits viral assembly.
Icosahedral symmetry enables efficient packaging of viral genomes using a minimal number of
protein subunits, enhancing stability.
What role do viral oncogenes play in cellular transformation?
Viral oncogenes can hijack cellular regulatory pathways, promoting uncontrolled growth and
potentially leading to cancer.
Explain the significance of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase in positive-sense RNA viruses.
3
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