This fully revised second edition of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Viruses leads students on an exploration of viruses by supporting engaging and interactive learning. All the major classes of viruses are covered, with separate chapters for their replication and expression strategies, and chapters for mechanisms such as attachment that are independent of the virus genome type. Specific cases drawn from primary literature foster student engagement. End-of-chapter questions focus on analysis and interpretation with answers being given at the back of the book. Examples come from the most-studied and medically important viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, HIV, and influenza. Plant viruses and bacteriophages are also included. There are chapters on the overall effect of viral infection on the host cell. Coverage of the immune system is focused on the interplay between host defenses and viruses, with a separate chapter on medical applications such as antiviral drugs and vaccine development. The final chapter is on virus diversity and evolution, incorporating contemporary insights from metagenomic research. The second edition has updated suggestions for primary literature to discuss along with each chapter. New to this second edition, a supplementary chapter, freely available for download, looks at how virology intersects with public health, and uses the COVID-19 pandemic as a notable example.

Key Features

• Readable but rigorous coverage of the molecular and cellular biology of viruses


• Molecular mechanisms of all major groups, including plant viruses and bacteriophages, illustrated by example


• Host-pathogen interactions at the cellular and molecular level emphasized throughout


• Medical implications and consequences included


• Quality illustrations available to instructors


• New to this second edition, interactive quiz questions hosted online