Figure 1

Flash Animation of Figure 1

Figure 1. General schema of a DNA virus infection that results in destruction of the infected cell (lysis). The virus first makes contact with an “attachment” receptor, which for adenovirus is called “CAR.” This binding of virus to cell facilitates virus binding to the “internalization” receptor, which for adenovirus is typically one of several proteins called integrins. The virus is then taken into the cytoplasm of the cell by internal budding into an endosome, where the virus shell breaks down as it is transported to the nucleus. In the case of adenovirus, the shell proteins bind to a nuclear pore, and insert the virus DNA into the nucleus. There, the DNA is replicated and virus genes are expressed, creating more virus shells for packaging of the new virus DNA. The resulting new virus particles burst out of the cell. The end result is death of the cell, and many more virus particles capable of infecting and killing adjacent cells. When the infected cell is a cancer cell, the process is termed “oncolysis.

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