Difference between revisions of "Virus"
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| − | A '''virus''' is a non-[[cell]]ular infectious agent that has two characteristics: It has genetic material (either [[DNA]] or [[RNA]]) inside a protective [[protein]] coat, and it cannot reproduce itself.<ref>Wile, Jay L. ''Exploring Creation With Biology''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1998 | + | A '''virus''' is a non-[[cell]]ular infectious agent that has two characteristics: It has genetic material (either [[DNA]] or [[RNA]]) inside a protective [[protein]] coat, and it cannot reproduce itself.<ref>Wile, Dr. Jay L. ''Exploring Creation With Biology''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1998</ref> To reproduce itself, it needs to infect a cell. The genetic material is inserted into the cell, and the reproductive machinery of that cell is then effectively "hijacked": the cell starts to produce components of new virus particles. These components spontaneously self-assemble and the new virus particles can then infect other cells, where the same process happens. |
Examples of viruses include the [[influenza]] virus, the common cold, [[smallpox]] and [[polio]]. | Examples of viruses include the [[influenza]] virus, the common cold, [[smallpox]] and [[polio]]. | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 08:14, April 15, 2007
A virus is a non-cellular infectious agent that has two characteristics: It has genetic material (either DNA or RNA) inside a protective protein coat, and it cannot reproduce itself.[1] To reproduce itself, it needs to infect a cell. The genetic material is inserted into the cell, and the reproductive machinery of that cell is then effectively "hijacked": the cell starts to produce components of new virus particles. These components spontaneously self-assemble and the new virus particles can then infect other cells, where the same process happens.
Examples of viruses include the influenza virus, the common cold, smallpox and polio.
References
- ↑ Wile, Dr. Jay L. Exploring Creation With Biology. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1998