Question

How are the steps of SARS-CoV-2 infection different from lytic infection of a DNA virus? How are they similar?

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

Differences

• In a typical lytic cycle, complete viral body doesn't enter the host cell rather it injects the DNA after the attachement. In case of SARS-CoV-2, the virla body is engulfed by the host cell.
• In a lytic cycle, host cell's DNA is degraded and the viral DNA take over the machinery of the host to replicate. However, in case of SARS-CoV-2, host DNA is not degraded (at least unknown till today), then the released RNA remains in the host cytoplasm, and a specific section of infecting RNA is translated to make RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.
• In a lytic cycle, newly formed copies ultimately break the cell wall and the viruses are released outside. In SARS-CoV-2, however, the release of virus does not require cell lysis. It is an enveloped virus.

Similarities

• Just like lytic cycle, SARS-CoV-2 also finds a receptor on the host cell (ACE2) and attaches for further action (attachment step).
• Once viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase is produced, it makes complete copies of the genomic RNA of the SARS-CoV-2. Then, these copies are packaged into new virions.
• The RNA is then translated into viral proteins such as structural proteins, viral proteases, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. This process is completed by using the host ribosomes.
• The newly prepared proteins are packaged in the virions.