Which of the following statements about virus structure is true?
a. All viruses are encased in a viral membrane.
b. The capsomere is made up of small protein subunits called capsids.
c. DNA is the genetic material in all viruses.
d. Glycoproteins help the virus attach to the host cell.
I believe it is b. The capsomere is made up of small protein subunits called capsids
I concur
The correct statement is b. The capsomere is made up of small protein subunits called capsids.
Capsomeres are the structural subunits that make up the protein coat of a virus, known as the capsid. The capsid protects the genetic material of the virus and helps in attaching to host cells.
To summarize, not all viruses are encased in a viral membrane (option a). DNA is not the genetic material in all viruses; some viruses have RNA as their genetic material (option c). Glycoproteins do help the virus attach to the host cell (option d), but this does not make it a true statement about the structure of all viruses.
You are correct! The statement that the capsomere is made up of small protein subunits called capsids is true.
To arrive at this answer, let's break down the statements and eliminate the ones that are incorrect:
a. All viruses are encased in a viral membrane.
This statement is incorrect. Not all viruses have a viral membrane. Some viruses, known as naked viruses, do not have this protective outer layer.
b. The capsomere is made up of small protein subunits called capsids.
This statement is correct. The capsomere is the protein subunit that makes up the capsid, which is the protein coat that surrounds the genetic material of a virus.
c. DNA is the genetic material in all viruses.
This statement is incorrect. While some viruses do contain DNA as their genetic material, others have RNA instead.
d. Glycoproteins help the virus attach to the host cell.
This statement is also correct. Glycoproteins are proteins that have carbohydrate molecules attached to them. These glycoproteins play a crucial role in helping viruses attach to specific receptor sites on the surface of host cells.
Therefore, by process of elimination, option b. is the correct answer.