Viruses

Viruses

Enter the Dark Side

Poll

what is (are) the defining characteristic of life

• can reproduce

• can respond to changes in the environment

• can find or create food

• made up of cells

• can adapt to their environment

Poll

Are viruses living?

• yes

• no

Open Ended

So what are the characteristics common to ALL viruses, regardless of the type of Genetic information they have (RNA or DNA).

Fill in the Blanks

You might say that Viruses are specifically

to invade their hosts

Multiple Choice

how many different host species is a virus typically able to infect?

• only one - they are specific

• species in the same genus

• species in the same family

• species in the same kingdom

Multiple Choice

What's special about the Rabies Virus?

• It is host specific

• It can affect many different groups of animals because it attacks common receptors in the nerve cells

• It is found everywhere

• It can be dormant for years and then pop up in adult hood and cause a new epidemic.

Multiple Choice

What's special about the Chicken Pox Virus?

• It is host specific

• It can affect many different groups of animals because it attacks common receptors in the nerve cells

• It is found everywhere

• It can be dormant for years and then pop up in adult hood and cause a new epidemic.

Multiple Choice

the virus in the previous slide diagram is called a bacteria phage. It only infects

• bacteria

• protista

• animals

• Plants

Multiple Select

Why is the lysogenic life cycle of the virus so much more sinister then the lytic one that kills cells

• it permanently changes the host DNA

• it kills the host more rapidly

• the genes can turn on at any time, causing the lytic cycle to begin and harm to the host (time bomb)

Multiple Choice

Why could one describe the cause of mad cow disease as humans creating cannibalistic cows?

• we fed them parts of cow brains to fatten them up and save money.

• we fed them parts of other cow guts to fatten them up and save money

• we fed them growth hormone

• we made genetically modified cows to produce more milk

Open Ended

Based on the video and what you know about economics, why would US and British farmers even considered this as a viable feed source? What does this situation teach us about the importance of government regulations in protecting citizens?

Multiple Choice

Analogy - what human made item below best fits a virus' characteristics

• malware

• plastic

• air pollution

• fecal matter