Open Question
Plant viruses can’t penetrate intact plant cells because (a) ________; therefore, they enter cells by (b) ________. Plant viruses can be cultured in (c) ________.
18. Viruses, Viroids, & Prions
Plant Viruses
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Plant viruses infect adjacent plant cells of an organism by:
A
Cell lysis, releasing mature viruses.
B
Traveling through the plasmodesmata.
C
Virus-Mediated Exocytosis.
D
Viral transport proteins that mediate transport across the cell wall.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the structure and function of plasmodesmata: Plasmodesmata are microscopic channels that traverse the cell walls of plant cells, allowing for transport and communication between them.
Recognize the role of plasmodesmata in viral infection: Plant viruses can exploit these channels to move from one cell to another, bypassing the need for cell lysis or other transport mechanisms.
Differentiate between the methods of viral spread: While cell lysis and exocytosis are common in animal cells, plant viruses often use plasmodesmata due to the rigid structure of plant cell walls.
Consider the limitations of other methods: Viral transport proteins and exocytosis are less effective in plants due to the presence of the cell wall, which restricts direct transport.
Conclude that plasmodesmata provide a direct route for viral movement between plant cells, making them a key mechanism for plant virus infection.
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