Question

Which of the following is a potential feature of an animal virus? Select all that apply.
a. Presence of an envelope
b. Presence of a naked icosahedral capsid
c. Ability to inject naked RNA into the host cell
d. Ability to integrate into the host cell’s genome
e. Ability to cause host cell lysis
f. Ability to build DNA from an RNA template

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Understand the structure of animal viruses. Animal viruses can have either an envelope or a naked capsid. The envelope is derived from the host cell membrane and contains viral glycoproteins, so the presence of an envelope (option a) is a potential feature. Step 2: Consider the capsid structure. Animal viruses can have icosahedral capsids that are either enveloped or naked. Therefore, the presence of a naked icosahedral capsid (option b) is also a potential feature. Step 3: Evaluate the method of genome entry. Unlike bacteriophages, animal viruses typically enter the host cell by endocytosis or membrane fusion rather than injecting their genome directly. Thus, the ability to inject naked RNA into the host cell (option c) is generally not a feature of animal viruses. Step 4: Analyze viral genome integration. Some animal viruses, such as retroviruses, have the ability to integrate their genome into the host cell’s DNA, making option d a potential feature. Step 5: Consider viral replication and effects on the host cell. Animal viruses can cause host cell lysis (option e) as part of their replication cycle, and some viruses (like retroviruses) can synthesize DNA from an RNA template using reverse transcriptase (option f). Both are potential features.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

Key Concepts

Viral Structure and Envelopes

Viral Genome Integration and Replication

Mechanisms of Viral Entry and Host Cell Interaction