Unit 3: Diversity of Life
Module 2: Kingdom Monera and Viruses
Learning Objectives: 2.1
Lesson 3: Viruses
Lesson Objectives:
- To describe viral structure and activity.
Evaluation:
- Activity: Virus Questions (keep in your notes for future evaluation)
Viruses:
Viruses are not classified in the taxonomic table of living things. In fact viruses are not really considered to be living. Outside of a living host, viruses are essentially lifeless. Remember the list of characteristics of life that you created in Unit 1? On their own viruses do not perform any of these life functions. However once they have entered a host cell viruses are capable of an important life function. When they are inside of a living host cell viruses are able to reproduce to make multiple copies of them.
Activity:
Study the following textbook pages and web sites in order to find out about the structure and activities of viruses. Answer questions #1 - 12 below. Your answers to these questions will become your notes on viruses
“Virus - Molecule or Microbe?” pages 423-425 Nelson Biology
“Viruses are Unusual Pathogens” pages 292-294 Biological Science: An Ecological Approach
Viruses - Questions:
1. Why are viruses not classified in one of the kingdoms of life?
2. What does the word virus mean?
3. Describe the size of viruses.
4. When was the first virus observed? What technology was used?
5. Describe the basic structure of a virus.
7. What types of host cells do viruses attack?
8. What is a bacteriophage?
9. Viruses are often said to be host specific. What does this mean?
10. List and briefly describe the stages of the Lytic cycle.
11. What is a retrovirus? Explain how retroviruses are different from other viruses.
12. List three diseases caused by viruses.
In module three we will look more closely at the role viruses play in causing disease and some of the diseases that are caused by viruses.
