Biology SARS

Explain how the terms COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, and coronavirus mean different things.

- Coronavirus is a family of viruses that includes SARS-CoV-2 - SARS-CoV-2 means Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Coronavirus 2. This is the virus that causes COVID-19. - COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has an RNA genome made of 30,000 nucleotides. List the four different types of nucleotides found in the SARS-CoV-2 genome.

A - Adenine, U - Uracil, C - Cytosine, G - Guanine

Each of the following statements describes a step in the replication of SARS-CoV-2. These steps are listed in random order. Read through the steps and, in the spaces provided below, list them in the order they occur in the human body. The virus releases its RNA genome into the cell. Viral RNA polymerase helps transcribe more copies of the virus's RNA. The virus binds to a receptor on a human cell's membrane. New viruses travel to the cell membrane of the infected cell and are released outside the cell. The virus's RNA is translated into proteins by the cell's ribosomes.

Correct order: C A E B D

Predict how the frequency of viruses with this deletion will change in the population over time. Use evidence to support your answer.

I think the frequency will lower and become more common.

Watch the third and final animation, Detection, which shows several ways to test whether someone has been infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The animation discusses two types of tests used to determine whether someone has an active SARS-CoV-2 infection. The table below compares some aspects of these tests as of August 2020.

RT-PCR test - Pieces of the virus's RNA genome - Few false negatives.* Test usually does not need to be repeated. - One day to one week Antigen test - Pieces of viral proteins (antigens) - More false negatives than the RT-PCR test. May need other tests to confirm negative results. - One hour or less

How could sequencing many SARS-CoV-2 genomes be used to track how the virus has changed over time due to mutations?

Sequencing many SARS-CoV-2 genomes can be used to track because scientists are able to compare these mutations and determine their origin, how they spread, and how harmful they are to the body.

Scientists discovered that SARS-CoV-2 is 10 to 20 times more likely to bind to these receptors than the other coronavirus was. Predict how this increased chance of binding has affected SARS-CoV-2's ability to replicate.

Since SARS-CoV-2's ability to combine to the receptors on our cells surface has increased this affects the virus's ability to replicate because the spikes on the virus recognize our cells faster and immediately bind to them. This makes it easier for the virus to spread faster from person to person.

Based on the information above, explain why it may be possible to develop a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine that would not have to be modified as often as the flu vaccine.

Since fewer mutations occur with SARS-CoV-2, this means that it will be less likely for the vaccine to have a need to be modified as often because the mutations that we see are most likely going to be the same mutations we see in the future.

In addition to the tests described above, people can also get tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Explain how an individual could test negative for an active SARS-CoV-2 infection and positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

Someone could test negative for a SARS-CoV-2 infection and test positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies because they had the virus in the past, but are not currently infected with an active virus.

As shown in the animation, SARS-CoV-2 uses the ribosomes inside human cells to translate its RNA into viral proteins. According to the animation, what is one of the viral proteins made by the ribosomes, and how does that protein help SARS-CoV-2 make more copies of itself?

The protein that is made by ribosomes is RNA polymerase. RNA polymerase assists SARS-CoV-2 by transcribing the virus's RNA to generate more copies of itself.

Could these mutations make the virus more deadly to humans? Support your answer in one or two sentences.

answers may vary

The diagram below represents a SARS-CoV-2 virus. In the table below the diagram, identify each of the labeled structures. Write one or two sentences describing the role of each structure in the virus's replication process.

viral genome - The viral genome is released into the cell then it attaches to the body. Then the viral genome is translated into proteins by the cell's ribosomes. crown/corona of spikes - Protein spikes attach to specific proteins on the surface of the cells in our bodies. This causes the virus's membrane to fuse with the cell's membrane, releasing the virus's RNA genome into the cell. envelope - It allows the protein spikes to attach to other cells' surfaces and infect the host cell.

Imagine you are planning to visit a family member who is a nursing home resident. The nursing home requires that all visitors test negative for an active SARS-CoV-2 infection no more than two weeks before the visit. Which of the two tests shown above would you choose, or what other information would you want to learn before choosing? Use evidence from the table to support your answer.

your own opinion