IB Biology Sub-topic A2.3 Definitions

Not consisting of, divided into, or containing cells

Small mutations that accumulate over time in a virus's surface antigens, leading to immune system evasion

The process by which two or more different viruses or different strains infect the same cell and create a novel subtype

The theory that viruses evolved from genetic material released from the genes and encapsulated in the proteins of larger organisms

The conversion of genes to proteins to express the gene's coded characteristic

All the genes in an organism

A infection that is notoriously difficult to treat beause it infects lymphocytes involved in antibody production and can destroy them over time, preventing antibody production

Lacking the ability to move or function independently

A viral replication cycle where the viral DNA integrates into the host cell's genome, replicates along with the host cell, and can eventually switch to the lytic cycle

A viral replication cycle where the virus attaches to the host cell, injects its genome, replicates using the host's machinery, assembles new viruses, and kills the host cell to release the new viruses

The sum of all chemical reactions taking place within an organism

A random change to the base sequence of a gene

An organism or virus that causes a disease

The theory that viruses were once small cells that were parasites in larger cells and over time lost the genes not required, becoming fully dependent on host cells

The replication process of retroviruses, like HIV, which reverse transcribe their RNA into DNA to integrate into the host genome

The theory that viruses evolved at the same time as the first cells and have been dependent on them since the beginning