Attachment

When we talk about virus-host interaction, one thing comes into our mind is the General Virus Replication Cycle(GVRC). GVRC is a cycle that gives us a brief information about how the virus would infect a host and whats during this infection. Through this cycle, we can understand how viruses infect humans and how it could spread to other host.

A diagram of a General Virus Replication Cycle

Today, we would be talking about the first step of the General Virus Replication Cycle(GVRC): Attachment.

"A Virus requires a host in order for it to infect or duplicate".

Attachment only happens when the attachment site, in this case the virus, binds itself to the receptor site, the host. A receptor is needed in order for the attachment to be successful. Receptors may be, proteins, glycoprotein, glycolipid, CD4 (for HIV), CR2 also known as, complement receptor 2 (for Epstein-Barr Virus), Glycophorin A (for Influenza A), ICAM-1 (for Rhino Virus) and many other more.

If the acceptor or receptor lacks the necessary components needed, it won't bind till it finds its necessary component.. Hence, this allows the host to be inherently be resistant to that particular virus. For example, mice lack receptors for polio viruses and thus are resistant to polio virus. Similarly, humans are inherently resistant to plant and many animal viruses.

I'll end my attachment of virus part here. Stay in tune for the next part, which is the penetration part.

Regards,
Faradila
Karen
Khairul
Shobana
Thiviyan