What are the basic shapes of viruses?
Shapes of viruses are predominantly of two kinds: rods, or filaments, so called because of the linear array of the nucleic acid and the protein subunits; and spheres, which are actually 20-sided (icosahedral) polygons.
What are the 4 characteristics of a virus?
These are: 1) attachment; 2) penetration; 3) uncoating; 4) replication; 5) assembly; 6)release. As shown in , the virus must first attach itself to the host cell. This is usually accomplished through special glycoprotiens on the exterior of the capsid, envelope or tail.
What is virus and its basic characteristics?
Viruses are infectious agents with both living and nonliving characteristics. Living characteristics of viruses include the ability to reproduce – but only in living host cells – and the ability to mutate.
Which is the smallest virus?
For the first time – scientists have detected one of the smallest known viruses, known as MS2. They can even measure its size – about 27 nanometers. For comparison’s sake, about four thousand MS2 viruses lined side-by-side are equal to the width of an average strand of human hair.
Which is the most deadly virus worldwide?
The Marburg virus is considered the deadliest virus in the world, with a body count that will likely give any sane person the heeby-jeebies. Marburg is deadly because it takes its cues from its sister virus, ebola, in that the endgame is massive hemorrhaging and slow, agonizing, messy death.
What is the general structure of a virus?
A basic structure of virus is nucleic acid core (either DNA or RNA but not both) surrounded by protein coat. Central core of nucleic acid of a virus is called genome and the protein coat surrounding is called as capsid .
What is the average size of a virus?
A virus is an infectious agent of small size and simple composition that can multiply only in living cells of animals, plants, or bacteria . They range in size from about 20 to 400 nanometres in diameter (1 nanometre = 10 meters).
What is the shape of a complex virus?
The complete complex of nucleic acid and protein coat of a virus particle is called as virus nucleo-capsid. Structure of capsid give the symmetry to the virus. Virus particle may be either cubicl or helical or binal or complex symmetry.