Multiple Choice
During which life cycle is the virus making more copies of itself?
1. Overview of Cell Biology
Viruses
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Which of the following is true?
A
Viruses, viroids, and prions are all living infectious agents
B
Viroids have two main life cycles:the lytic and lysogenic cycle
C
Viruses have two main shapes:icosahedron and circular
D
Viruses, viroids, and prions are all non-living infectious agents
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the nature of viruses, viroids, and prions. These are all infectious agents, but they are not considered living because they cannot carry out life processes independently.
Viruses are composed of genetic material (DNA or RNA) enclosed in a protein coat and require a host cell to replicate. They do not have cellular structures and cannot reproduce on their own.
Viroids are small, circular RNA molecules that infect plants. They do not encode proteins and rely entirely on the host cell's machinery for replication. They do not have a lytic or lysogenic cycle, which are specific to viruses.
Prions are infectious proteins that cause neurodegenerative diseases. They propagate by inducing misfolding of normal proteins in the host. Prions lack nucleic acids and do not have a life cycle like viruses.
Review the statement options: The correct statement is that viruses, viroids, and prions are all non-living infectious agents, as they do not meet the criteria for life, such as independent reproduction and metabolism.
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