Cells - Cell sturcture: Viruses

Question 1

Are viruses cells?

Answer 1

No, they’re acellular

Question 2

Are viruses alive?

Answer 2

No

Question 3

What is the basic structure of a virus?

Answer 3

A nucleic acid surrounded by a protein coat, which has attachment proteins on its surface.

Question 4

What is the genetic material in a virus?

Answer 4

DNA or RNA

Question 5

What is the protein coat of a virus called?

Answer 5

A capsid.

Question 6

What are some viruses’ capsids surrounded by?

Answer 6

A lipid envelope.

Question 7

What is the function of a virus’ attachment proteins?

Answer 7

To let the virus identify and attach to a host cell.

Question 8

Where can viruses multiply?

Answer 8

Inside living host cells only.

Question 9

How to viruses replicate?

Answer 9

1) They use their attachment proteins to bind to complementary receptor proteins on the surface of host cells
2) They inject their nucleic acid into the host cell
3) The genetic information from the nucleic acid provides the ‘instructions’ for the host cells’ metabolic processes to start producing the viral components which are assembled into new viruses

Question 10

What are the viral components produced by the host cell?

Answer 10

Nucleic acid
Enzymes
Structural proteins

Question 11

Why can some viruses only infect one type of cell?

Answer 11

Different viruses have different attachment proteins so require different receptor proteins on host cells.