Microbiology: Viruses, Viroids, and Prions

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to viruses, viroids, and prions, as discussed in the lecture.

Virus

A microscopic infectious agent that can only replicate inside living cells of organisms.

Viroid

A small circular RNA molecule that infects plants and can cause disease.

Prion

Infectious agents composed entirely of protein that induce abnormal folding of normal cellular proteins.

Capsid

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

Lytic cycle

The process by which a virus takes over a host cell's machinery to replicate and eventually burst the cell, releasing new virions.

Lysogenic cycle

A viral replication cycle in which the viral DNA is integrated into the host cell's chromosome and is replicated along with it.

Eclipse period

The phase during viral replication when no infectious virus can be detected.

Envelope

An outer lipid layer that surrounds some viruses, allowing them to enter host cells.

Capsomere

The subunit of the capsid, made up of protein molecules.

Morphology

The study of the form and structure of organisms.