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You are a researcher working on an unknown virus. To try and determine what type

ID: 193803 • Letter: Y

Question

You are a researcher working on an unknown virus. To try and determine what type of virus it is, you gathered the following information:

The capsid is surrounded by a plasma membrane that resembles that of an animal cell. After its genetic material is released into a host cell, the genetic information is used to produce mRNA through a process called transcription. From this mRNA, proteins are being produced making further use of the host's resources. When the assembled virus particles leave the cell, they destroy it.

What type of virus is this?

O an enveloped, lysogenic DNA virus O an enveloped, lytic DNA virus O a lytic DNA virus without an envelope O an enveloped, lysogenic RNA virus O a lytic RNA virus without and envelope

Explanation / Answer

Option 2 is the correct answer.

Frrom the question, it is clear that the covering of capsid in the virus resembles plasma membrane of animal cell, hence we can be sure that the virus is enveloped. Also, the genetic material if virus is used to produce mRNA through transcription indicating that the viral genetic material is DNA. Finally, when the virus is released from the host cell, it causes lysis of the cell. This is an indicative of lytic cell cycle. In lysogenic cell cycle, viral genome becomes integrated with host genome unlike what is given in the question.

Therefore, the virus in question is an enveloped, lytic DNA virus.