Neato keen info on flavivirus

Molecular Biology

Genom e
Replication

Genome Structure

As shown above, the fl avivirus genome consists of a single strand of positive sense RNA. Upon translation several enzymes cut the single polypeptide into functional protein units. Some of the proteases are actually provided by the host cell.

Replication

Replication occurs in the cytoplasm and takes about 20-30 hours for flaviviruses. Cellular receptors are still not known but must be widely distributed in the body to account for the various sites of flavivirous infection. The entire virus genome is translated as a single polyprotein which is then cleaved into the mature proteins. Complementary negative strand RNA is synthesized by NS proteins and then is used as a template f or genomic progeny RNA synthesis. Assembly occurs during budding, characteristically into cytoplasmic vacuoles rather than the cell surface as occurs with its arbovirus cousin, the togavirus. Release occurs when cell lyses.


Adapted from Fields, p. 933.