Viruses, Viroids, and Prions

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to viruses, their structure, replication cycles, and their roles in diseases.

Acellular pathogens

Organisms that are not composed of cells, such as viruses.

Obligatory intracellular parasites

Organisms that can only reproduce inside the host's living cells.

Virion

A complete, fully developed viral particle.

Capsid

The protein coat of a virus, made up of protein subunits called capsomeres.

Naked virus

A virus that does not have an envelope.

Enveloped virus

A virus that has an outer lipid layer surrounding the capsid.

Lytic cycle

A viral reproductive cycle that results in the destruction of the host cell.

Lysogenic cycle

A viral reproductive cycle in which the viral DNA is incorporated into the host cell's DNA.

Bacteriophage

A virus that specifically infects bacteria.

Host range

The spectrum of host cells a virus can infect.

Oncogene

A gene that has the potential to cause cancer.

Prophage

Viral DNA that is incorporated into the host cell's genome during the lysogenic cycle.

Reverse transcriptase

An enzyme that converts RNA into DNA.

Transduction

The process by which DNA is transferred from one bacterium to another by a virus.

Viroid

A short piece of naked RNA that causes diseases in plants.

Prion

Infectious proteins that cause neurodegenerative diseases.

Chronic infection

An infection that persists over a long period of time, often with continuous viral replication.

Latent infection

An infection in which the virus remains inactive within the host cell and can reactivate.

Virulent phage

A phage that causes lysis in host cells.

Budding

The process by which enveloped viruses are released from a host cell.