Virusoids
May 25, 2022Mechanisms of viral infections
May 27, 2022
- Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is the only known human disease agent to resemble viroids at present.
- Hepatitis delta virus is the only known species in the genus Deltavirus, family Kolmioviridae.
- The agent appears to be intermediate between ‘classical viruses’ and viroids.
- HDV has a very small circular RNA genome (~1700 nucleotides) compared to most viruses, although it is somewhat larger than viroids.
- HDV is considered to be a subviral satellite because it can propagate only in the presence of the hepatitis B virus (HBV).
- HDV is a subviral satellite virus and it can propagate only in the presence of the hepatitis B virus (HBV).
- HDV depends on HBV for packaging, release, and transmission.
- HDV only codes for its own attachment protein.
- Extracellular HDV virions contain the genomic HDV RNA, a single-stranded negative-sense and covalently closed circular RNA molecule, which is associated with the HDV-encoded delta antigen forming a ribonucleoprotein complex, and enveloped by the HBV surface antigens.
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