Virus Structures and Components Quiz

Viroids and Viruses

• Viroids are small, infectious agents composed solely of a short strand of circular RNA without protein coats, distinguishing them from other pathogens.

Determination of Viral Particle Structure

• The shape and size of viral particles are most effectively determined using techniques like electron microscopy or X-ray crystallography.

Icosahedral Viruses

• Icosahedral viruses feature a symmetrical structure characterized by 20 triangular faces, resembling the geometry of an equilateral triangle.

Virus Core Composition

• The main component of the virus core is the viral nucleic acid, which can be either DNA or RNA, encased in protective protein coats called capsids.

Types of Viruses

• Viruses can be categorized as either enveloped or naked; enveloped viruses have a lipid membrane, while naked viruses lack this outer layer.

Protein Interactions

• The interaction between viral nucleocapsid proteins and envelope proteins is mediated by specific protein-protein interactions that ensure virus assembly and stability.

Definition of Virology

• Virology is a branch of microbiology focused on the study of viruses, including their structure, classification, and interactions with host organisms.

Characteristics of Viruses

• Viruses are defined by their inability to reproduce independently; they require a host cell to replicate and produce new viral particles.

Atypical Virus-like Agents

• Atypical virus-like agents, such as prions and viroids, differ from typical viruses primarily in their lack of a protein coat and significant parts of their infectious nature.

Defective Viruses Composition

• Defective viruses consist of a combination of incomplete viral genomes, which may rely on co-infection with a helper virus to propagate and infect host cells.