How are viroids and viruses different?
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Viroids are plant pathogens: small, single-stranded, circular RNA particles that are much simpler than a virus..>> You've likely heard of the term virus. The flu virus may come to mind. The cold virus is another famous one. How about HIV? That's a virus too. So you clearly know a lot of examples of viruses. But what is it? A virus is a microscopic infectious agent that is incapable of replicating outside of its host (the organism it infects)
A biological viruses' code is composed of nucleic acids called DNA or RNA encased in a protective shell. However, when an infectious agent is composed of just a piece of single-stranded circular RNA, without that protective shell [ we call this a viroid. Unlike all those viruses listed before, which all affect humans, viroids are not believed to interact in any meaningful way with mammals, including people. As far as we know, they are only responsible for causing diseases in plants, like potatoes. So don't worry, you're safe from viroids.
Viruses have capsids composed of proteins while viroids don't have this protein coat or capsid. Both viruses and viroids can infect manaually.
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A biological viruses' code is composed of nucleic acids called DNA or RNA encased in a protective shell. However, when an infectious agent is composed of just a piece of single-stranded circular RNA, without that protective shell [ we call this a viroid. Unlike all those viruses listed before, which all affect humans, viroids are not believed to interact in any meaningful way with mammals, including people. As far as we know, they are only responsible for causing diseases in plants, like potatoes. So don't worry, you're safe from viroids.
Viruses have capsids composed of proteins while viroids don't have this protein coat or capsid. Both viruses and viroids can infect manaually.
HOPES IT HELPS YOU
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