Section 11
DNA Viruses in Eukaryotes
By Boundless
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DNA viruses are relatively rare in plants, but are responsible for a significant amount of crop damage worldwide.
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Most double-stranded DNA viruses replicate within the host cell nucleus.
Herpes viruses cause a wide range of latent, recurring infections including oral and genital herpes, cytomegalovirus, and chicken pox.
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Herpes simplex virus attaches to a host's cells with viral envelope glycoproteins, which then allows entry of the viral capsid into the host cell.
Herpes replication entails three phases: gene transcription, viral assembly in the nucleus, and budding through the nuclear membrane.
Immunodeficiency occurs when the immune system cannot appropriately respond to infections.
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The poxviruses are a family of large, complex, enveloped DNA viruses that infect a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate hosts.
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Adenoviruses are non-enveloped, icosahedral DNA viruses which cause upper respiratory infections, primarily in children.
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Hepadnaviruses, retroviruses, use virally encoded reverse transcriptase to convert RNA into DNA.
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Interferons play pivotal roles in shaping the immune responses in mammals.