Template:Virus glossary
Virus glossary
Virion
A single, virus particle outside its host cell, it can be defective and non-infectious
Capsid
The
protein
shell surrounding the virus's genes; this shell is made from many smaller proteins which are identical and are called capsomers.
Envelope
Some viruses have a bubble of fat that surrounds the virion.
Gene
A segment of
DNA
or
RNA
; genes are like sentences made of the "letters" of the nucleotide alphabet. Genes direct the reproduction of viruses. Different types of viruses have genes made from DNA or RNA but not both.
Host range
The animals, plants or
bacteria
that any one type of virus can infect.
Bacteriophages
The viruses that reproduce in bacteria.
Cell tropism
The type of
cell
in which a virus can reproduce.
Serotype
A grouping of viruses based on the
antigens
on the surface of virus.
Symmetry
All viruses of a type are identical and their particles have a cubical, helical or complex structure.
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