Author
 |
Owens, Robert |
|
Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/1998 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: The purpose of this book on "Virus Ecology" is to define the ecology of viruses; i.e., what life is like from a virocentric' point of view. It is intended as a supplemental text for upper level undergraduate courses addressing the ecology of microorganisms. Viruses and viroids are obligate intracellular parasites, and thus their ecology must be presented in terms which also include aspects of the ecology of their host(s) and any vectors which they utilize. Aspects of viroid ecology considered in this chapter include: (1) Principal and alternate hosts for viroids; (2) Transmission strategies employed by viroids; (3) Survival strategies within both the host and the environment; (4) Replication strategies at the cell, organ, and population level; (5) Direct effects upon their hosts; and (6) Indirect effects upon their hosts. Viroids are the smallest known agents of infectious disease--small, ,messenger RNA activity. Whereas viruses supply some or most of the genetic information required for their replication, viroids do not encode any proteins and can be regarded as "obligate parasites of the cell's transcriptional machinery". Thus far, viroids are only known to infect plants where they cause a number of economically important diseases. The primary beneficiaries of this information will be undergraduate college students majoring in any of the biological sciences. Staff members at APHIS or state departments of agriculture, may also find this information useful in making regulatory decisions. Technical Abstract: Not required for book chapter. |
