Viruses - Part 1

Questions: 1 - 6

1. The General Structure of a virus is basically just a DNA or RNA enclosed in a protective protein coat/shell. A Virus (a.k.a. Virion) is so small it cannot be seen with the naked Human eye reason being it's size is only 15 - 25 nanometers in diameter.

2. The Genetic Material found in a a Virus is also called a Viral Genome and is determined on the nature and the function of a virus. That being said, it can contain a double stranded DNA, a double stranded RNA, a single stranded DNA, or even a single stranded RNA. But when you look at it closely, it not only consists of 1 gene, but hundreds of genes which are organized as a long molecule that is either straight or circular.

3. Here is a great Bactiophage Diagram

In case you didn't know, a Bacteriophage is a virus that kills it's host by infecting and reproducing inside it.

4. Plant Virus: Tobacco Mosaic Virus

Here are some of this Virus' symptoms

• Leaves start to curl
• Leaves turn to a Yellow color
• Stunting (Plants stop growing)
• Distorted fruits

Fun fact: Did you know that the Tobacco Mosaic Virus is the most common plant virus in the world?

Animal Virus: Common Cold

Some symptoms of the Common Cold are:

• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Fatigue
• Coughing up of Dark Mucus
• Lowers Body Resistance which may lead to other sicknesses like a Fever

Fun Fact: A single cold virus can produce up to 16 million offspring within 24 hours!

5. In my opinion, I think Viruses should be considered non-living because even though they can reproduce they need a host cell in order to do so. Other than reproducing, they pretty much can't do anything else except just float in the air until it is able to attach to a living organism. It cannot grow, cannot breath, does not need nutrition, and cannot respond to it's surroundings. All in all, I think that Viruses should be considered non-living.

6. At the moment, there aren't any beneficial viruses but there are bacteria and lines of defenses in the human body that can prevent viruses from entering our body. For example Mucus forms a protective layer in our bodies which are the home to phages which can destroy and keep out the bad bacteria from entering our body.