Viruses Flashcards
Diversity unit
What are viruses?
they are small microorganisms that reproduce via infection of a host cell.
They do not contain: cellular membrane, a nucleus, organelles or reproductive organisms (mitosis).
How are viruses composed than?
they have an outer protein coating (capsid) and the inside which contains either DNA or RNA (could be double or single stranded, linear or circular).
Why aren’t they alive?
they don’t grow, respond to stimuli or metabolize nutrients, but they reproduce if they have a host cell. that being said, they are technically dead.
how are viruses classified?
They are classified via capsid shape & size.
what are the four types of viruses?
Polyhedral (adenoviruses and Polio. They also look like tiny crystals), Spherical viruses (self explanatory. think of Covid and influenza), Helical Viruses (like tobacco Mosaic which affects plants) and Complex Viruses (Bacteriophages which infect Bacteria essentially).
