Question

The specificity of attachment between the attachment proteins on a virus and the receptor on the host cell is directly responsible for:

		the host range of the virus.
		the tissue tropism of the virus.
		the maturation of the host virus.
		both the host range and the tissue tropism of the virus.
		both the host range and the maturation of the virus.
		both the maturation and the tissue tropism of the virus.
		the host range, the tissue tropism, and the maturation of the virus.
		None of the Above.

Answer 1

The correct option is (a) because,

The host range of the virus is directly determined by the specificity of attachment between surface proteins of the virus and receptors on the host cell.

Other options are incorrect because;

• Tissue tropism refers to the cells and tissues of the host that support growth of the particular virus. Although it depends on the susceptibility ( complementary binding between the viral surface proteins and host cell receptors), it also depends on other factors such as- penetrance (ability to enter into the host cell), availability of transcripion factors essential for viral replication, molecular nature of viral tropogen etc.
• Maturation of the host virus refers to the process by which initial, non-infectious assembly product is turned into an infectious virus particle. It takes place after the release of the viral particles from the host cell. It doesn't directly depend on the viral proteins and cell receptors present on the host cell.