Replication+Cycle

 Replication Cycle

 The Influenza virus follows the typical endocytic (enveloped) viral replication cycle. The first part of the cycle is virus attachment; this is facilitated by hemagglutinin and ensures that the viral particle is attached to a suitable host cell. 11,12] Once the virus enters the cell, the phagocytic properties of the endosomes/lysosome cycle activate the hemagglutinin which facilitates the bonding of the viral membrane to the endosome’s vacuole membrane. When this bonding happens, the host cell’s endosome cycle helps to deliver the viral RNA (vRNA) straight into the nucleus of the cell.11,13] Once the vRNA is inside the nucleus, it re-programs the cell and initiates the formation of more vRNA. This vRNA then passes information to the rough endoplasmic reticulum and initiates the synthesis of viral proteins. When the proteins are constructed, they are sent to the Golgi Apparatus where they are modified and finally packaged into vacuoles that are then transported to the cell surface via exocytosis in a process called ‘budding’. 13] Once on the cell surface, the vacuoles will release the viral progeny from the cell surface by using neuraminidase to cleave the glycoproteins which attach the virus to the cell membrane. After the virus is detached from the host cell, it can continue to infect new cells and begin the process anew. 11,12,13]

media type="youtube" key="StYOdR8hOUU" height="315" width="560" Figure 2. Stylized video showing the typical enveloped virus replication cycle.

