Structure of Viruses

Front

What is a host?

Back

An organism or a cell that the virus needs to reproduce in.

Front

Are viruses considered living or non-living?

Back

Non-living.

Front

How do viruses cause disease?

Back

By lysing the host cell and infecting other cells.

Front

What do a virus and a cell both have?

Back

Genetic material.

Front

Why do viruses require a host cell?

Back

To replicate.

Front

What is a virus?

Back

A small infectious agent that can only replicate inside the living cells of an organism.

Front

What is the structure of a virus?

Back

Viruses typically consist of genetic material (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coat called a capsid.

Front

Can viruses reproduce on their own?

Back

No, viruses cannot reproduce on their own; they need a host cell.

Front

What is a capsid?

Back

The protein shell that encases the genetic material of a virus.

Front

What is viral replication?

Back

The process by which a virus makes copies of itself inside a host cell.