Most people encounter viruses at some point throughout their lifetime, which can leave them feeling miserable. We probably don't give a lot of thought to the molecular aspects of viruses and instead, just focus on getting rid of the painful symptoms when a virus strikes and compromises our health. If you stop for a minute and think about it, however, a lot is happening in our bodies when a virus invades. All of the symptoms you feel result from the collective effects of a virus as it inflicts your body's cells.
How Do Viruses Work?
A virus essentially inserts its own genetic material into a host cell and causes changes in the function of the host cell through the virus' genes. The host cell may lose many different abilities, such as control over its growth, its ability to divide and it may also show chromosomal abnormalities.
Like humans, viruses are composed of genetic material. In the case of a DNA virus, this genetic material is DNA. A DNA virus uses a copying mechanism, which relies on an enzyme called DNA polymerase - an important enzyme in DNA replication. DNA viruses are grouped according to the Baltimore classification system and there are more than twenty virus families and nearly a hundred genera. The viruses themselves include an enormous range, from more basic ones to highly complex viruses.
Different Kinds of DNA Viruses:
There are numerous different groups of DNA viruses, with varying structures and effects. One group is herpes viruses, which are somewhat complex and have over one hundred genes. One of the herpes family of viruses is the Epstein Barr virus, which has been associated with a rare form of cancer. Epstein Barr virus is also the virus responsible for glandular fever - formally known as infectious mononucleosis, which is commonly seen in adolescents and college-aged adults. Pox viruses have several hundred genes and are effective at replicating once in a host. Papilloma viruses are those that cause warts and they are also associated with cancer. You have also likely heard of the Hepatitis B virus, which is actually a DNA tumour virus. There are many more DNA viruses but they all share a common link, which is that their genetic material is comprised of DNA.
How Do Viruses Work?
A virus essentially inserts its own genetic material into a host cell and causes changes in the function of the host cell through the virus' genes. The host cell may lose many different abilities, such as control over its growth, its ability to divide and it may also show chromosomal abnormalities.Like humans, viruses are composed of genetic material. In the case of a DNA virus, this genetic material is DNA. A DNA virus uses a copying mechanism, which relies on an enzyme called DNA polymerase - an important enzyme in DNA replication. DNA viruses are grouped according to the Baltimore classification system and there are more than twenty virus families and nearly a hundred genera. The viruses themselves include an enormous range, from more basic ones to highly complex viruses.
Different Kinds of DNA Viruses:
There are numerous different groups of DNA viruses, with varying structures and effects. One group is herpes viruses, which are somewhat complex and have over one hundred genes. One of the herpes family of viruses is the Epstein Barr virus, which has been associated with a rare form of cancer. Epstein Barr virus is also the virus responsible for glandular fever - formally known as infectious mononucleosis, which is commonly seen in adolescents and college-aged adults. Pox viruses have several hundred genes and are effective at replicating once in a host. Papilloma viruses are those that cause warts and they are also associated with cancer. You have also likely heard of the Hepatitis B virus, which is actually a DNA tumour virus. There are many more DNA viruses but they all share a common link, which is that their genetic material is comprised of DNA.
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