Introduction to Viruses, Viroids, and Prions

These flashcards cover essential terms and definitions related to viruses, viroids, and prions as presented in the lecture.

Virus

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

Obligate Intracellular Parasites

Organisms that can only reproduce by invading a host cell.

Capsid

The protein shell of a virus that encloses its genetic material.

Nucleic Acid

The genetic material found in viruses, which can be either DNA or RNA.

Envelope

An outer layer found in some viruses, consisting of lipid membranes that surround the capsid.

Icosahedral

A virus structure that is three-dimensional and symmetrical, with 20 triangular faces.

Helical Capsid

A type of capsid that forms a continuous helix of protein subunits.

Oncogenic Virus

A virus that can lead to cancer by altering the host cell's genetic material.

Lysogeny

A state in which a bacteriophage’s DNA is incorporated into the host cell's genome and is replicated along with it.

Prion

A misfolded protein that can cause transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Viroids

Small infectious agents composed of RNA that can infect plants.

Replication Cycle

The series of steps a virus undergoes to invade a host cell and produce new virus particles.

Cytopathic Effects

Structural changes in host cells caused by viral invasion and replication.