In: Biology
Composite Viral Structure of a virus?
Viral Attributes of a virus?
Viruses are non cellular pathogens with nucleic acid present in it. This nucleic acid can be either DNA or RNA and this genetic material is covered by a protein layer called capsid. So for nucleic acid enveloped in capsid is called as nucleocapsid. Other than this, some animal virus also has lipid layer around it. This is the basic structure of a virus.
A virus can only be active when it is present in a living organisms and outside of any host or organisms, it called as virion. The nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) present in the virus is responsible for its infectivity. The outer capsid is also responsible for the specificity of the virus along with its nucleic acid. When virus infect it's host, it gets attached to the host cell. Then it uncoats it's nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) and replicate it in the host cell. This newly formed viral particle assemble and released to outside by killing the host cell. Then this new virus will infect other host cells and this pattern get continued.