viruses

Question 1

capsid

Answer 1

-a protein coat around the core

Question 2

attachment proteins

Answer 2

• sticks out of the protein from the edge of the capsid

- lets the virus cling on to a suitable host cell

Question 3

core of the virus

Answer 3

-contains a core of genetic material, either dna or rna

Question 4

replication of viruses

Answer 4

1. viruses use their attachment proteins to bind to complimentary receptor proteins on the surface of host cells.
2. different viruses have different attachment proteins and therefore require different receptor proteins on host cells. as a result, some viruses can only infect one type of cell.
3. viruses inject their dna or rna into the host cell, the hijacked cell then uses its own “machinery” (e.g. ribosomes, enzymes) to replicate the viral particles.