Virology I: How Viruses Work

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.

Week 1
Welcome to virology
What is a virus?
Viruses then and now
Week 2
The 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 packaging
Acquisition of an envelope and egress