Virology
Code: 100873Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry | OB | 2 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Anna Aris Giralt
- Email :
- anna.aris@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Ugutz Unzueta Elorza
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
Is essential to have a general background in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Microbiology and Immunology.
Objectives
The teaching objectives of the course are the acquisition by the students of basic knowledge about biology, structure, genetics and evolution of viruses. This will be done within the framework of their pathogenesis and considering the pharmacological possibilities and research opportunities that Virology can offer in those fields. It will be also focused on emerging applications of the viruses in biotechnology and nanotechnology, and the need for constant updating of information through bibliographic databases.
Learning outcomes
- CM10 (Propose innovative applications using microorganisms to meet societal needs.) Propose innovative applications using microorganisms to meet societal needs.
- CM11 (Interpret experimental results obtained using microorganisms and their applications in the field of biochemistry.) Interpret experimental results obtained using microorganisms and their applications in the field of biochemistry.
- CM12 (Justify the properties of microorganisms with potential applications in biotechnological processes.) Justify the properties of microorganisms with potential applications in biotechnological processes.
- KM17 (Identify the social, economic, and environmental impact of the use of microorganisms.) Identify the social, economic, and environmental impact of the use of microorganisms.
- KM18 (Describe the genetic, physiological and metabolic characteristics of microorganisms.) Describe the genetic, physiological and metabolic characteristics of microorganisms.
- SM13 (Use the main techniques for handling and using microorganisms.) Use the main techniques for handling and using microorganisms.
- SM14 (Observe safety procedures when handling microorganisms.) Observe safety procedures when handling microorganisms.
Contents
1. Nature and Multiplication of Viruses
The world of viruses. Obligate parasitism, multiplication, and transmission. Viral disease and the iceberg concept. Viral diversity and the virome. The viral particle: dimensions, chemical composition, morphology, and nomenclature. Functions of the capsid: stability and recognition. Chemical composition, structure, and organization of the viral genome: structural and non-structural genes. Nucleic acid polarity. The viral cycle: extra- and intracellular phases. Viral multiplication: productive and non-productive infections. Sequential expression of viral genes. Viruses, mobile genetic elements, and living organisms.
2. Origins of Virology
Hypotheses on the maintenance of life and spontaneous generation. Pasteur's work. Microscopic infectious agents and Koch’s postulates. The nineteenth century: discovery of viruses. Tobacco mosaic disease and the concept of the filterable agent. Discovery of animal viruses. The twentieth century: chemical, structural, and genetic characterization of viruses. Milestones in the history of Virology. Smallpox eradication and the risk of re-emergence. Clinical and biotechnological aspects of Virology. Bioterrorism.
3. Structure of Viral Particles
Morphology of viral particles. Architectural analysis of viral particles: electron microscopy and three-dimensional reconstructions. X-ray diffraction: resolution levels. Molecular architecture in helical and icosahedral symmetries. Transmembrane proteins in viral envelopes. Receptor-binding sites. Viral antigens and B- and T-cell epitopes. Neutralization and evasion of neutralization. Genetic and epitope variability.
4. Viral Genetics and Viral Genomes
Diversity of viral genomes. Principles of genome economy and complexity; overlapping genes. Segmented and multipartite genomes. Information encoded by viral genomes. Types of viral genomes and gene expression and replication strategies for each type; temporal regulation strategies. Infectious clones. Principles of reverse genetics. Defective viruses.
5. Virological Methodology
Production of viral particles. Cell culture. Small- and medium-scale cultures. Purification. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of viral particles. Detection of viral components and applications in diagnostic methodologies. The Virology laboratory: areas and layout. Biosafety. Containment levels: BSL-1 to BSL-4. Air treatment. Effluent treatment.
6. Principles of Viral Taxonomy
Early virus classification systems: Baltimore classification of animal viruses. The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses and the classification system. Viral properties used in taxonomy. Families of animal viruses and viruses not yet classified. Changes in nomenclature. Major human pathogens and their diseases.
7. Viral Multiplication
Cell recognition. Nature and function of receptors. Internalization. Uncoating. Shutdown of cellular biosynthesis. Stimulation of cellular functions: papovaviruses and adenoviruses. Synthesis of viral RNA, DNA and proteins: temporal sequences. Cytopathic effects. Release of viral particles with and without lysis. Apoptosis. Cellular transformation by RNA viruses: cellular oncogenes; activation and transduction. Cellular transformation by DNA viruses: viral oncogenes and oncoproteins. Processing of viral proteins. Targets of antiviral drugs. RNA interference.
8. Pathogenesis of Viral Infections
“Good” viruses. Virus–host coexistence. Asymptomatic infections. Characteristics of viral infections. Portals of entry. Routes of transmission: horizontal and vertical. Localized and systemic infections. Dissemination. Viremia. Neural transmission. Target tissues: tropism. Acute and persistent infections. Latent infections. Viral and non-viral factors influencing pathogenesis. Virulence. Viral evasion of the immune response. Immunopathology.
9. Responses to Viral Infections and Vaccines
Types of vaccines: attenuated and inactivated vaccines. Molecular basis of attenuation. Next-generation vaccines. Recombinant vaccines and synthetic peptides. Nucleic acid vaccination. Novel vaccine vectors. Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Herd immunity. Innate and adaptive immune responses. Sentinel cells, complement, inflammation and interferons. Communication between innate and adaptive immunity. Adaptive immune response: humoral and cellular. The importance of antiviral cellular immunity. The bacterial CRISPR/Cas immune system.
10. Origin and Evolution of Viruses
Origin of viruses: regressive theories and theories supporting a cellular origin. Mechanisms generating diversity. Mutation frequencies and relative abundance of mutants. Fixation of mutations. Viral replicases and replication fidelity. Variability and evolution in RNA viruses and retroviruses. Viral quasispecies. Evolution and evolutionary potential. Darwinian and non-Darwinian selection of mutations. Founder effects and population bottlenecks.
11. Emerging Viral Diseases and Emerging Viruses
Emergence of new viral diseases. Host switching and viral reservoirs. Viral emergence and re-emergence. Determining environmental, social and technological factors. Importance of arthropod vectors. The human species as a terminal host. Novel and emerging human viruses. Hemorrhagic fevers. Ebola virus and human immunodeficiency virus. The continuous re-emergence of influenza viruses.
12. The Virome
The concept of the virome and methods for its study. The planet’s virome. The iceberg effect and the Human Virome Project. Acquisition of the human virome. Horizontal transmission of the virome. Horizontal transmission of phenotypes. The human holobiont. The role of the virome in holobiont biology, health and disease. The virome and sexuality.
13. Unusual Infectious Agents
Prions: infectious proteins. Development of the prion concept. Amyloid. Synthesis and processing of PrPC. Formation of PrPSc and prion propagation. Spongiform encephalopathies: inheritance and transmission. Phenotypic diversity of prions: strains. Scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Interspecies barriers. Human spongiform encephalopathies: Kuru, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease and hereditary diseases. Prions in yeasts. Viroids: structure and domain conservation. Possible mechanisms of pathogenesis. Satellite agents. Hepatitis delta virus. Virophages.
14. Bacteriophages
Applications of bacteriophages in molecular genetics and biotechnology. Phage display. Generation of antibodies without immunization and the search for novel ligands. Directed molecular evolution. Drug-selection systems.
15. Artificial Viruses
Viruses as new engineerable nanomaterials. Viral gene therapy: key features and biological risks. Gene therapy products currently on the market. Artificial viruses as alternatives to viral gene therapy. Types of artificial viruses and biomolecules used. Modular strategies. Selection of virus-inspired functional domains. Examples and applications of artificial viruses.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual/group tutoring | 2 | 0.08 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM17, KM18 |
| Personal study | 56 | 2.24 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM17, KM18 |
| Classroom seminars | 15 | 0.6 | CM10, CM11, CM12, SM13, SM14 |
| Oral preparation of assignments | 10 | 0.4 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM17, KM18 |
| Group work: preparation of reports | 20 | 0.8 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM17, KM18 |
| classroom-based master classes | 30 | 1.2 | KM17, KM18 |
| Text reading | 10 | 0.4 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM17, KM18 |
Face-to-face classes will be distributed over 3 hours per week, of which 2 hours will correspond to lectures and 1 hour to problem-solving sessions, group work in the classroom, and oral presentations.
The course will consist of theoretical lectures and active-learning activities based on scientific problems and case studies, through which students will acquire the skills necessary to conduct literature searches, propose experimental approaches, and design problem-solving strategies. Oral presentations associated with active-learning activities will foster teamwork, coordination of activities, and the clear and rational presentation of work plans and results. Active-learning activities will focus on the methodological, biomedical, pharmaceutical, biotechnological, and nanotechnological applications of viruses, as well as virus-derived structures. The use of AI is authorized for these activities. Individual tutorials will be available upon request by email. During these sessions, students will have the opportunity to receive personalized guidance according to their specific needs
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral and/or written presentation | 30 % | 3 | 0.12 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM17, KM18, SM13, SM14 |
| Final exam: 3 partial + syntesis test. Test exams | 40 % | 2 | 0.08 | CM11, CM12, KM17, KM18 |
| Partial exams. Multiple choice | 30 % | 2 | 0.08 | KM17, KM18 |
Assessment will be carried out through three examinations: two non-eliminatory midterm exams and a final exam that will cover the third part of the syllabus as well as a comprehensive review/synthesis section. The exams will be distributed throughout the semester and will account for 70% of the final grade (15%, 15%, and 40%, respectively). In addition, 30% of the final grade will be obtained through oral or audiovisual presentations, classroom problem-solving activities, or the submission of written assignments (group work). We will not offer a resit assessment for these activities (30%). All exams will assess the material covered during the corresponding period, including both lectures and seminars. To pass the course, students must obtain at least a grade of 5/10 as the weighted average of the multiple-choice examinations. The examinations will be conducted in the language in which the course is taught.
The resit examination will be a multiple-choice test covering the entire course syllabus. It will be available to students who have failed the course overall, as well as to those wishing to improve their grade. Prior registration is required. Individual midterm exams cannot be retaken separately. The resit examination will cover the entire course, and the grade obtained in the resit exam will determine the examination component of the final grade (70%), regardless of the grades obtained in previous examinations. In accordance with Article 112 ter, section 2, of the current UAB Academic Regulations, students must have previously completed assessment activities corresponding to at least two-thirds of the total course grade in order to be eligible for the resit examination. Therefore, students whose completed assessment activities account for less than 67% of the final grade will receive a “Not Assessed” grade.
For students who voluntarily choose the single assessment option, assessment will consist of a single multiple-choice examination covering all theoretical and seminar contents of the course. The grade obtained in this examination will account for 70% of the final grade. The single assessment examination will take place on the same date as the final continuous assessment examination and will be subject to the same resit procedure. Seminar assessment will follow the same process as in the continuous assessment system, and the resulting grade will account for 30% of the final course grade.
“Any irregularity committed during an assessment activity (academic fraud, plagiarism, or improper use of AI, unless such use is explicitly authorized in the course guide) that may lead to a significant alteration of the assessment result will result in a grade of 0 for that activity. If the course guide establishes that obtaining a minimum grade in that assessment activity is an essential requirement for passing the course, or if multiple irregularities occur in assessment activities within the same course, the final grade for the course will be 0. In addition, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against students involved in any of these irregularities.”
Bibliography
Bibliografy of this course available in the UAB libraries as of May 13, 2026.
Books
- Almond, Jeffrey A. & Webster, Robert G. & Granoff, Allan & Almond, Jeffrey A. (1999). Encyclopedia of virology. (2nd ed.) Academic Press
Disponible online
- Almond, Jeffrey A. & Webster, Robert G. & Granoff, Allan & Almond, Jeffrey A. (1999). Encyclopedia of virology. (2nd ed.) Academic Press
Disponible at the library
- Cann, Alan. (2016). Principles of molecular virology. (6th ed.) Academic Press Disponible online
- Cann, Alan. (2015). Principles of molecular virology. (6th ed.) Elsevier / Academic Press Disponible at the library
- Dimmock, N. J. & Leppard, K. N. & Easton, A. J. (2016). Introduction to modern virology. (7th ed.) Wiley Disponible online
- Dimmock, N. J. & Leppard, K. N. & Easton, A. J. (2016). Introduction to modern virology. (7th ed.) John Wiley
Disponible at the library
- Domingo, Esteban. (2020). Virus as populations : composition, complexity, quasispecies, dynamics, and biological implications. (2nd ed.) Elsevier
Disponible at the library
- Domingo, Esteban. (2016). Virus as populations : composition, complexity, dynamics, and biological implications. (1st ed.) Academic Press
Disponible online
- Domingo, Esteban. ([2020]). Virus as populations : composition, complexity, quasispecies, dynamics, and biological implications. (2nd ed.) Academic Press
Disponible online
- Enquist, Lynn W. [i altres]. (2015). Principles of virology. (4th ed.) AMS Press Disponible online
- Flint, S. Jane [i altres]. (2020). Principles of virology. (5th ed.) John Wiley Disponible at the library
- Fong, I. W. (2017). Emerging zoonoses : A Worldwide Perspective. Springer International Publishing
Disponible online
- Ippolito, Giuseppe & Rezza, Giovanni. (2017). Emerging and re-emerging viral infections : advances in microbiology, infectious diseases and public health volume 6.Springer
Disponible online
- Knipe, David M. & Howley, Peter M. (2021-2024). Fields virology. (7th ed.) Wolters Kluwer Disponible at the library
- Pinsky, Benjamin [i altres]. (2016). Clinical virology manual. (5th ed.) ASM Press Disponible online
- Quesada, Emilia [i altres]. (2019). Microbiología esencial. Editorial Médica Panamericana Disponible online
- Rybicki, Edward P. (2023). Cann's Principles of Molecular Virology. (7th ed.) Academic Press Disponible online
- Tennant, Paula & Foster, Jerome E. & Fermin, Gustavo. (2018). Viruses : molecular biology, host interactions, and applications to biotechnology. Academic Press
Disponible online
- Zuckerman, Mark A. & Bamford, Dennis. (2021). Encyclopedia of Virology. (4th ed.) Academic Press Disponible online
Journals/ Databases
- National Library of Medicine (Estats Units d'Amèrica). MEDLINE. National Library of Medicine Disponible online
Software
No specific software is foreseen.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 32 | Catalan | second semester | afternoon |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 321 | Catalan | second semester | afternoon |