Viruses and Bacteria

Virus

An infectious particle consisting of nucleic acid encased in a protein coat.

Nucleic Acid

The genetic material of a virus, which can be DNA or RNA.

Capsid

The protein shell that encloses a viral genome.

Obligate Intracellular Parasite

An organism that can only reproduce and carry out its life cycle within a host cell.

Host Range

The specific range of host species that a virus can infect.

Bacteriophage

A type of virus that infects bacteria.

Adolf Mayer

The scientist who first proposed that tobacco mosaic disease was caused by an infectious agent smaller than bacteria.

Martinus Beijerinck

The Dutch botanist credited with coining the term 'virus' and demonstrating that the infectious agent of tobacco mosaic disease could replicate.

Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV)

The first virus to be crystallized and studied; causes disease in tobacco plants.

Glycoproteins

Proteins that have carbohydrates covalently attached, often found on the surfaces of viral envelopes.

Viral Genome

The complete set of genetic material within a virus, which may consist of various forms of nucleic acid.

Helical Viruses

Viruses with rod-shaped capsids, such as the tobacco mosaic virus.

Icosahedral Viruses

Viruses with a polyhedral capsid that has 20 triangular facets, such as adenoviruses.

Viral Replication Cycle

The process by which a virus infects a host cell, hijacks its cellular machinery, and produces new viral particles.

Electron Microscope

A type of microscope that uses electron beams to create magnified images of viruses, allowing for their visualization.

West Nile Virus

A virus that has a broad host range, capable of infecting mosquitoes, birds, horses, and humans.

Virus Classification

Classification based on the type of nucleic acid in the viral genome, such as DNA viruses and RNA viruses.

Replication Particle

A term used to describe viruses as they replicate within a host, illustrating their non-cellular nature.