What is the basic structure of a virion?
What is the basic structure of a virion?
The simplest virions consist of two basic components: nucleic acid (single- or double-stranded RNA or DNA) and a protein coat, the capsid, which functions as a shell to protect the viral genome from nucleases and which during infection attaches the virion to specific receptors exposed on the prospective host cell.
What type of particle is a virus?
A complete virus particle, known as a virion, consists of nucleic acid surrounded by a protective coat of protein called a capsid. These are formed from protein subunits called capsomeres. Viruses can have a lipid “envelope” derived from the host cell membrane.
What is the shape of a virion?
Virions of most plant viruses are rod-shaped; the capsid is a naked cylinder (lacking a fatty membrane) within which lies a straight or helical rod of nucleic acid.
What is diameter of a virion?
Morphology. Virions are approximately 30 nm in diameter and exhibit icosahedral symmetry (Figure 16). Detailed structure of virions is not known.
Why virus is called a particle?
A virus particle (or virion) is a structure that has evolved to transfer nucleic acid from one cell to another (which is the function of the virion).
What are the 3 shapes of a virus?
In general, the shapes of viruses are classified into four groups: filamentous, isometric (or icosahedral), enveloped, and head and tail. Filamentous viruses are long and cylindrical.
What are possible ways to identify a virion?
Virus identification is performed either by indirect immunofluorescence of virus-infected cells using group- and type-specific monoclonal antibodies, or RT-PCR on extracts of cell supernatants using specific primers or probes.
What is the main difference between virus and virion?
A virion is an entire virus particle consisting of an outer protein shell called a capsid and an inner core of nucleic acid (either ribonucleic or deoxyribonucleic acid—RNA or DNA). The core confers infectivity, and the capsid provides specificity to the virus.
What is the difference between virion and virus?
The illustration at left depicts a virion – the infectious particle that is designed for transmission of the nucleic acid genome among hosts or host cells. A virion is not the same as a virus. I define virus as a distinct biological entity with five different characteristics.
What is the structure of a virion?
A virion consists of a protein coat called the capsid as the outer membrane and an inner core which consist of either RNA or DNA. The capsid and the inner core provides specificity and infectivity to the virus respectively.
What is the structure of a enveloped virus?
Enveloped virions like HIV consist of nucleic acid and capsid proteins surrounded by a phospholipid bilayer envelope and its associated proteins. Glycoproteins embedded in the viral envelope are used to attach to host cells.
What is the difference between a Viron and a capsid?
The genetic material is responsible for the infectivity while the proteins in the capsid are responsible for the specificity of the virus. Generally, a viron is the small, extracellular form of a virus. Virion consists of an additional outer membrane made up of lipids known as the envelope.
