VIRUS

Description

An infectious agent composed almost entirely of protein and nucleic acids (nucleoprotein). Viruses can reproduce only within living cells and are so small that they can be resolved only with an electron microscope. Since they pass through filters that retain bacteria, they are often called filterable viruses. Tobacco mosaic was the first virus to be crystallized and isolated (Dr. W. M. Stanley,a sequence of 158 amino acids (mw 40,000,000). Bushy stunt virus found in tomato plants has a molecular weight of 7,600,000. First synthesis of a virus was reported in 1967.
Viruses differ from organisms in that they are only half alive; they lack metabolism, are unable to utilize oxygen, to synthesize macromolecules, to grow, or to die. They are parasites, relying on a living host cell. They account for many diseases, including mumps, measles, scarlet fever, smallpox, influenza, and possibly the common cold. Their shapes are similar to those of bacteria (rods, spheres, filaments). They have the ability to mutate; they are also antigenic and thus initiate formation of antibodies. Some act as bacteriophages. A direct relation between virus and cancer has been shown, the DNA of the virus becoming irreversibly bound to the DNA of the affected cells.

Agricultural Uses

Virus is a sub-microscopic, parasitic micro-organism comprising a protein or a protein-lipid sheath containing nucleic acid. Viruses are inert outside living cells, but within appropriate cells they can replicate and give rise to the manifestations of the associated viral disease in the host organism. Various viruses infect animals, plants and bacteria; the viruses infecting bacteria are called bacteriophages. Few drugs act specifically against viruses, although immunity can be induced in susceptible cells against particular viruses. Various pathogenic organisms formerly regarded as large viruses are now distinguished as bedsoniu.
Viruses can be resolved only with electron microscope. Since viruses pass through filters that retain bacteria, they are often called filterable viruses. Tobacco mosaic was the first virus to be crystallized and isolated. It contains some 2000 proteins in a sequence of 158 amino acids. Bushy stunt virus, found in tomato plants has a molecular weight of 7.6 million.
Viruses differ from organisms, in that they are only half alive. They lack metabolism, are unable to utilize oxygen to synthesize macromolecules, to grow or to die. They account for many diseases in plants including, mosaic, ringspots, bunchy top, etc.