Question

how are viroids different from viruses

Answer 1

viroids are free RNA molecules of low molecular weight without any protein coat while viruses can have either RNA or DDA molecules encapsulated in a protein coat. viroids are smaller in size than viruses.

Answer 2

Final Answer

Viruses and viroids differ on the basis of their size, ability to produce proteins during replication and mode of infection.

Solution details

Tip :-

Viruses and viroids are organisms arising from similar behaviour of being non-living outside the host organism.

What differentiates them is the size of these particles and the mode of action on host.

Explanation :-

Viruses are small infectious nucleoprotein particles that replicates only inside the living cell of other organisms. It contains either DNA or RNA inside its protein capsid. Commonly known viruses infecting other organisms are Bacteriophage (bacteria infecting), Tobacco Mosaic Virus (plant infecting), Parvovirus (animal infecting) and HIV ( human infecting).

Whereas viroids are infectious particles smaller than any of the known viruses. It contains short circular strand of ssRNA as their nucleic acid and mostly infects plant cells. For example- Potato Spindle Tuber viroid.

Opinion :-

While viruses produce proteins during replication inside the host, the viroids do not produce proteins and infect only plant cells.

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