Study questions Topic 4 (Virus genomes)

Genomes and genetics

1. How many genome types are known? Be able to name all of them, including a representative virus for each.
2. The genome inside a virion is always a nucleic acid. If you could get the genome into a cell, would it start the replication cycle? Consider this question for each of the known viral genome types.
3. What can viruses with segmented genomes do that other viruses with unimolecular genomes cannot?
4. What is wild‐type?
5. What is the name of the process by which viral DNA is introduced into cells? What about non­‐viral DNA?
6. There is an infectious DNA clone for at least one member of nearly every virus family. Why is this so important?