Viruses, Viroids, and Prions: Living or Non-Living?
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Questions and Answers

What is a characteristic that viruses do NOT have?

  • The ability to be killed
  • The ability to have some properties of life
  • The ability to maintain homeostasis (correct)
  • The ability to crystallize
  • What is a similarity between viruses and living things?

  • The ability to crystallize
  • The ability to maintain homeostasis
  • The possession of some properties of life (correct)
  • The ability to be killed
  • What can be done to viruses?

  • Make them reproduce
  • Kill them (correct)
  • Provide them with shelter
  • Give them food
  • What is a difference between viruses and living things?

    <p>Viruses lack the ability to maintain homeostasis, but living things do not</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an example of what can be done to viruses?

    <p>Crystallizing them</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the debate about viruses?

    <p>Whether they are living or non-living</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the classification of viruses in terms of life?

    <p>They are considered non-living entities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key characteristic of viruses that distinguishes them from living cells?

    <p>Their inability to replicate on their own</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relationship between viruses and their host cells?

    <p>Viruses are dependent on their host cells for reproduction</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main difference between viruses and other microorganisms?

    <p>Their ability to reproduce independently</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the host cell during the viral replication process?

    <p>It undergoes lysis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of tail fibers in viruses?

    <p>To attach to the host cell</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of the release of new virions from the host cell?

    <p>The host cell is destroyed and new virions are released</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the phage penetrate to inject its DNA?

    <p>Cell wall</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of the phage penetrating the host cell?

    <p>The phage's DNA is injected</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the host cell in the viral replication process?

    <p>To provide a site for viral replication</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the outcome of the viral replication process?

    <p>The destruction of the host cell and release of new virions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is released into the bloodstream from the liver?

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

    What is the function of the tail core?

    <p>To penetrate the host cell</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of maturation?

    <p>Viral components are assembled</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the sheath?

    <p>To contract and inject DNA</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the final stage of the viral lifecycle?

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

    What is the structure that contains the viral DNA?

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

    What is the function of the contractile tail in bacteriophages?

    <p>To attach to the host cell</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of reverse transcriptase in retroviruses?

    <p>To transcribe viral RNA into DNA</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of viroids?

    <p>They are single-stranded RNA molecules</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of a retrovirus infecting a cell?

    <p>The cell produces viral proteins and RNA</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the lytic cycle?

    <p>To release new viruses into the environment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of the capsid in a virus?

    <p>To protect the viral genome</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of prions?

    <p>They are infectious proteins</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the host cell in the lytic cycle?

    <p>To provide a location for viral replication</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the outcome of a virus infecting a cell?

    <p>The cell lyses and releases new viruses</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of the bacteriophage tail fibers?

    <p>To attach to the host cell</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Viruses, Viroids, and Prions

    • Viruses are both living and non-living, having some properties of life but not others
    • They can be killed and even crystallized like table salt
    • However, they can't maintain a constant internal state (homeostasis)

    Characteristics of Viruses

    • Contain RNA or DNA genome
    • Have a protein coat (capsid) that protects the genome
    • Can inject their genome into a host cell
    • Can be killed with disinfectants or heat
    • Can be crystallized like table salt
    • Can't maintain a constant internal state (homeostasis)

    Retroviruses

    • Contain RNA, not DNA
    • Contain the enzyme reverse transcriptase
    • Can inject their RNA and reverse transcriptase into a host cell
    • Can convert their RNA into DNA using reverse transcriptase
    • Examples include HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and feline leukemia virus

    Viroids and Prions

    • Viroids are small, circular RNA molecules that infect plants
    • Prions are infectious proteins that can cause diseases such as mad cow disease and kuru
    • Prions are normal body proteins that get converted into an alternate configuration by contact with other prion proteins
    • They have no DNA or RNA, and the main protein involved is called PrP

    Viral Replication

    • Viruses are very specific as to which species they attack
    • Humans rarely share viral diseases with other animals
    • Eukaryotic viruses usually have protective envelopes made of membrane from the host cell
    • The lytic cycle of viral replication involves attachment, penetration, replication, assembly, and release of new viruses

    Bacteriophage Replication

    • Bacteriophage inject their nucleic acid into the bacterial cell
    • They lyse (break open) the bacterial cell when replication is finished
    • The process involves attachment, penetration, replication, assembly, and release of new phages

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    Explore the fascinating world of viruses, viroids, and prions. Are they living or non-living? Take this quiz to find out more about these microscopic entities.

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