Alright, everyone. Viroids have what characteristics? What are they composed of? And what types of cells do they infect? Well, remember we know that they are only known to infect plant cells, we have not discovered them to infect animal cells. So that means we can get rid of answer choices d and e because we don't know them to infect animal cells. Now, what are they made of? They're actually incredibly simple and they're made of RNA, so we can get rid of answer choice a. So we're left with 2 answers. Is it double stranded or single stranded RNA? It's going to be single stranded RNA. So the correct answer here is answer choice c. Remember that Viroids are going to be just simple naked single stranded RNA molecules that are connected at the end to create a ring of single stranded RNA that only infect plant cells and they act like interfering RNA molecules and they stop certain genes in plants from being expressed which can cause diseases in that plant. So viroids are small fragments of naked single stranded RNA molecules that infect plant cells. Okay, everyone. Let's move on to our next video.

Table of contents

1. Introduction to Microbiology3h 22m
2. Disproving Spontaneous Generation1h 18m
3. Chemical Principles of Microbiology3h 38m
4. Water1h 28m
5. Molecules of Microbiology2h 23m
6. Cell Membrane & Transport3h 28m
7. Prokaryotic Cell Structures & Functions5h 52m
8. Eukaryotic Cell Structures & Functions2h 18m
9. Microscopes2h 46m
10. Dynamics of Microbial Growth4h 36m
11. Controlling Microbial Growth4h 10m
12. Microbial Metabolism5h 16m
13. Photosynthesis2h 31m
14. DNA Replication2h 25m
15. Central Dogma & Gene Regulation7h 14m
16. Microbial Genetics4h 44m
17. Biotechnology3h 0m
18. Viruses, Viroids, & Prions4h 56m
19. Innate Immunity7h 15m
20. Adaptive Immunity7h 14m
21. Principles of Disease6h 57m

18. Viruses, Viroids, & Prions

Viroids

Microbiology

18. Viruses, Viroids, & Prions

Viroids

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Multiple Choice

Viroids are:

Small fragments of naked dsDNA that infect plant cells.

Small fragments of naked dsRNA that infect plant cells.

Small fragments of naked ssRNA that infect plant cells.

Small fragments of naked ssRNA that infect animal cells.

Small fragments of naked ssDNA that infect animal cells.

None of the above.

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Verified step by step guidance

Understand the definition of viroids: Viroids are infectious agents that are smaller than viruses and consist solely of a short strand of circular, single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) without a protein coat.

Recognize the type of nucleic acid involved: Viroids are composed of ssRNA, not DNA, which distinguishes them from other infectious agents like viruses or plasmids.

Identify the host specificity: Viroids are known to infect plant cells, causing various plant diseases, and they do not infect animal cells.

Eliminate incorrect options: Discard options that mention dsDNA, dsRNA, or ssDNA, as viroids are specifically ssRNA. Also, eliminate options that mention animal cells as hosts.

Select the correct option: Based on the characteristics of viroids, choose the option that describes them as 'Small fragments of naked ssRNA that infect plant cells.'