Understanding Acellular Pathogens

What is a viroid?

• A type of virus with a protein coat

• Circular RNA that can self-replicate without a protein coat

• A misfolded protein causing disease

• A type of bacteria

Which of the following diseases is caused by a viroid?

• Mad Cow Disease

• Potato tuber spindle disease

• Subterranean clover mottle virus

• Influenza

What is a virusoid?

• A self-replicating RNA molecule

• A non-self replicating pathogenic RNA

• A type of prion

• A bacterial pathogen

Virusoids require a “helper” virus to:

• Provide a protein coat

• Replicate

• Cause disease

• Convert RNA to DNA

Which of the following is an example of a virusoid?

• Potato tuber spindle disease

• Mad Cow Disease

• Subterranean clover mottle virus

• Influenza

What is a prion?

• A type of virus

• A misfolded rogue protein

• A circular RNA molecule

• A bacterial pathogen

Prions are known to cause which of the following diseases?

• Potato tuber spindle disease

• Subterranean clover mottle virus

• Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy

• Influenza

Which of the following statements is true about viroids?

• They have a protein coat

• They can convert RNA to DNA

• They are circular RNA molecules

• They are a type of prion

Virusoids are part of which group?

• Prions

• Satellite virus group

• Bacteria

• Viroids

Which of the following is not a characteristic of prions?

• They are misfolded proteins

• They have a protein coat

• They can cause other proteins to misfold

• They are causative agents of Mad Cow Disease