Concept explainers
A virus is a biological agent which requires a suitable host cell for its survival and replication. It replicates by using the biological mechanism of the host cells. It infects the prokaryotes as well as the eukaryotes and is responsible for causing many infectious diseases in other organism and in the human beings. The term virology refers to the study of viruses. There are various types of viruses and are categorized on the basis of the genomic characters of the viruses as well as the hosts.
Explanation of Solution
The viruses are defined as a distinctive group of acellular, minute, obligate intracellular parasites and require a host in order to complete their life cycle. It typically consists of genetic material (either DNA or RNA) and is enclosed within a protein coat which forms a complete viral particle known as virion.
The minimal features that are needed to fit this definition include size, shape, structure, genome arrangement, host dependency, and symmetry of the viruses.
The viruses are smaller than the prokaryotes and its shape and size ranges between 20-300 nm (0.02 – 0.3 μm).
The viral genome is enclosed within a capsid which is a protein coat. It is formed by the structural units called capsomeres. The capsomeres are arranged in a specific pattern by surrounding the
The viruses depend on the host cell for its survival and replication.
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Chapter 8 Solutions
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