Subviral Particles and Nonliving Infectious Agents
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Questions and Answers

What is the primary difference between viruses and subviral particles?

  • Subviral particles have a lipid envelope while viruses do not
  • Viruses can reproduce on their own while subviral particles cannot
  • Subviral particles are smaller than viruses (correct)
  • Viruses are living while subviral particles are nonliving
  • What are the two main types of subviral particles?

  • Prions and chromosomes
  • Viroids and lipids
  • Proteins and RNA
  • Viroids and prions (correct)
  • What is unique about the RNA of viroids?

  • It is made of DNA
  • It is double-stranded
  • It is always found in humans
  • It is single-stranded and circular (correct)
  • Why are viroids thought to be catalytic?

    <p>Because they can make or break covalent bonds</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic that viruses and subviral particles share?

    <p>They are both acellular</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do viruses and subviral particles need a host?

    <p>Because they lack organelles and cannot make their own energy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a previous limitation in the discovery of viroids?

    <p>They were only found in plants</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a recent development in the discovery of viroids?

    <p>They have been found to infect humans</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main difference between viroids and virions?

    <p>Viroids are only genetic material, while virions have a protein coat and genetic material.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What makes prions different from viruses and viroids?

    <p>Prions are made up of only proteins, with no genetic material.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the normal conformation of a protein?

    <p>Alpha-helix</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens when a prion protein comes into contact with a normal protein?

    <p>The normal protein's conformation changes to a beta-sheet.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of protein deposits forming in the brain?

    <p>The protein deposits cause disease when they are removed, leaving holes in the brain.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name of the protein that makes up a prion?

    <p>PrP</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is thought to be the mechanism by which prions cause infection?

    <p>The prion protein's beta-sheet conformation causes the normal protein to change its shape.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are scientists still uncertain about prions?

    <p>Because prions have only recently been discovered.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Subviral Particles

    • Subviral particles are smaller than viruses and are categorized as nonliving infectious agents.
    • Nonliving infectious agents include viruses and subviral particles, which are acellular, meaning they're only made of a protein coat, or a capsid, that protects genetic information (DNA or RNA).

    Characteristics of Viruses

    • Viruses require a host to make their own energy (ATP) and reproduce.
    • They can't divide or reproduce on their own due to their small size and lack of organelles.

    Subviral Particles: Viroids

    • Viroids are smaller than viruses, composed of a single strand of circular RNA.
    • Until recently, viroids were only found to infect plants, but now they've been found in humans, specifically in the case of Hepatitis D.
    • Viroids can self-cleave to create more viroids due to their catalytic RNA, which can make or break covalent bonds.
    • Note: Viroids are different from virions, which are whole viruses consisting of a protein coat plus RNA or an envelope.

    Subviral Particles: Prions

    • Prions are proteinaceous infectious particles, composed only of proteins with no genetic material (RNA or DNA).
    • Prions have a different conformation than normal proteins, with a beta-sheet structure instead of an alpha-helix.
    • When a prion protein (PrP) comes into contact with a normal protein, it can change the normal protein's conformation, leading to protein deposits.
    • These protein deposits can cause disease, especially in the brain, where cleanup of the deposits can leave holes in the brain tissue.

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    Description

    Learn about subviral particles, their characteristics, and how they differ from viruses. Understand the concept of nonliving infectious agents and their composition.

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