Question

Virologists are scientists who have an extensive background in microbiology and a specific focus on viruses and their role in disease. Virologists can work in a variety of settings, including but not limited to an academic environment, industry, government research, and clinical laboratories. Virologists focus on virus classification and replication because of the ability of viruses to take over host cells and change their function. This scenario is about a virologist who works in an academic laboratory doing research on viruses that infect only bacteria, also known as bacteriophages.

Part A - Classifying Viruses
There are several factors that virologists use to classify viruses. Some of these factors include i) type of nucleic acid; ii) presence of an envelope; iii) size and shape of the virus; iv) morphology of the capsid; and v) how the virus reproduces. Lauren, a seasoned animal virologist, has started researching bacteriophages, viruses that are able to infect bacteria. While growing bacteria in the lab, Lauren notices that her samples are not growing properly. She thinks that she may have contaminated her bacterial cultures accidentally. Lauren thinks back through the process of adding the bacteria to the media--perhaps she used a flask that had not been cleaned properly, or the media were contaminated prior to use. The first thing Lauren does is visualize her culture underneath the electron microscope, a microscope powerful enough to magnify the bacteriophage if present. As soon as Lauren begins her microscopy, she notices a small organism that looks like it has a head and legs! Lauren then starts the journey of classifying this virus by recording her observations.
Think about the many factors that are used to classify viruses. In order for Lauren to determine the type of virus she may have, she needs to understand some basic concepts about how viruses are characterized. Please sort the following statements as being true or false regarding characteristics of viruses.

Answer 1

Correct Statments:

- Viruses are not capable of metabolic activity on their own; they must have a host cell to reproduce.

- The genetic material of a virus can be DNA or RNA.

- Viruses can have different shapes.

- Capsids function to surround and protect the nucleic acid core.

- The genomes of viruses are usually smaller than the genomes of bacteria.

Incorrect statments:

- All viruses have both a capsid and an envelope.

- Capsids are adquired from the host cell during replication or release.

- The intracellular state of a virus is called a virion.

Step-by-step explanation:

This statements allow both to classify the viruses and also to distinguish between virus and bacteria.