Question

The terms isometric, icosahedral, and pleomorphic refer to

A) viral life cycles.
B) forms of nucleic acid.
C) types of viral envelopes.
D) shapes of viruses.

Answer 1

Isometric, icosahedral, and pleomorphic are terms that refer to the shapes of viruses; isometric and icosahedral viruses are roughly spherical, while pleomorphic viruses vary in shape.

Step-by-step explanation:

The terms isometric, icosahedral, and pleomorphic refer to shapes of viruses. Isometric, or icosahedral, viruses have shapes that are roughly spherical, such as poliovirus or herpesviruses. This icosahedral structure is a highly efficient way to form a sturdy shape from multiple copies of a single protein and it resembles a soccer ball due to its geometry. Pleomorphic viruses, however, can vary in shape because they do not have a rigid cell structure and are often enveloped viruses that have a membrane derived from the host cell surrounding the capsid. Examples of enveloped viruses include HIV. These shapes are crucial as they can influence the virus's method of infection and interaction with the host immune response.

Answer 2

Answer: D) Shapes of viruses.

Step-by-step explanation:

The terms isometric, icosahedral, and pleomorphic talk about what viruses look like. Isometric and icosahedral mean the virus has a specific geometric shape, like a 20-sided figure. Pleomorphic means the virus doesn't have a set shape and can be variable. So, it's all about describing how viruses are shaped.