Virology I: How Viruses Work (Coursera) - Vincent Racaniello

Written by Vincent Racaniello
Read by Vincent Racaniello
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 128 Kbps
Unabridged

Created by:Columbia University
Delivered by:Coursera
Taught by:Vincent Racaniello

Introductory virology course emphasizing the common reactions that must be completed by all viruses for successful reproduction within a host cell.

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This introductory virology course emphasizes the common reactions that must be completed by all viruses for successful reproduction within a host cell and survival and spread within a host population. The molecular basis of alternative reproductive cycles are presented with examples drawn from a set of representative animal and human viruses, although selected bacterial viruses will be discussed.

This offering has been a top-ten iTunes U Course in sciences pretty much since its release in 2012, with over 80,000 subscriptions. The course will be ported to the Coursera platform in two parts and will allow interested online students to take the course as a cohort for the first time.

Suggested Readings:

The recommended textbook is Principles of Virology. Vol I: Molecular Biology, Vol. II: Pathogenesis and Control (S.J. Flint et al., Third Edition, ASM Press 2009). You don’t need to buy this book to do well in this course, as the lectures are self-contained, but if you are very interested in virology, it’s a great resource.

Syllabus

Week 1
Welcome to virology
What is a virus?
Viruses then and now
Week 2The infectious cycle
Assay of viral infectivity
Measurement of virions and their components
Revolutionary methods
One-step growth cycle

Week 3
The Baltimore scheme
DNA virus genomes
RNA virus genomes
Viral genetics

Week 4
Structure
The tools of structural virology
Helical symmetry
Icosahedral symmetry
Enveloped virions
Complex virions

Week 5
Attachment to cells
Entry into cells
Acid-catalyzed fusion
A new paradigm for entry
Entry of non-enveloped virions
Entering the nucleus

Week 6
Viral RNA synthesis
RNA polymerization
Plus strand RNA synthesis
Negative strand RNA synthesis
RNA synthesis of dsRNA genomes
RNA synthesis as a source of diversity

Week 7
DNA basics
Lessons from SV40
Priming via DNA or protein
Viral origins
Big DNA viruses
Regulation of DNA synthesis

Week 8
Transcription
Initiation of transcription
Viral transcription regulation
Capping and polyadenylation
Pre-mRNA splicing

Week 9
Reverse transcriptase
Retroviruses
Reverse transcription
Integration
The provirus
Hepatitis B virus

Week 10
End-dependent initiation of protein synthesis
Other decoding mechanisms
One mRNA, one protein?
Maximizing coding capacity of the viral genome
Regulation of translation: eIF2alpha
How viruses regulate cell translation
MicroRNAs

Week 11
Principles of virion assembly
Getting to the right place
Making sub-assemblies
Concerted assembly: Budding
Genome packagingAcquisition of an envelope and egress