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A virus has proteins on its capsid that bind to living host cell. Once the virus has attached it enters the cell or inserts DNA/RNA into the cell.

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What are the viruses called that attack prokaryotes?

Viruses that attack prokaryotes are called bacteriophages. They specifically infect bacteria by injecting their genetic material into the bacterial cell, which then uses the cell's machinery to replicate and produce more viruses.


What is the tail of a bacteriophage specialized for?

The tail of a bacteriophage is specialized for attaching to the host bacterial cell and injecting its genetic material into the cell. It helps the bacteriophage in recognizing and binding to specific receptors on the bacterial cell surface.


Does bacteriophage infect bacteria only?

Yes, bacteriophages are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. They target bacterial cells by injecting their genetic material into the bacterial cell and using the host's cellular machinery to replicate.


How are the steps in the infection of an animal cell by a virus different from the infection of a bacterial cell by a virus?

Infection of an animal cell by a virus typically involves the virus attaching to specific receptors on the cell surface, entering the cell through endocytosis or direct fusion, replicating using host cell machinery, and then releasing new viruses by budding or cell lysis. In contrast, infection of a bacterial cell by a virus (called a bacteriophage) usually involves the phage injecting its genetic material into the bacterium, hijacking the bacterial machinery to replicate, and then causing lysis of the bacterial cell to release new phages.


What are viruses that attach to bacteria and inject their hereditary material?

Viruses that attach to bacteria and inject their hereditary material are known as bacteriophages, or phages. These viruses specifically target bacterial cells, attaching to their surface and injecting their DNA or RNA into the host. Once inside, the phage can hijack the bacterial machinery to replicate itself, often leading to the destruction of the bacterial cell in a process called lysis. Bacteriophages are important tools in molecular biology and have potential applications in phage therapy to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

Related Questions

True or false viruses are smaller than bacterial cells?

True. Viruses are smaller than bacterial cells. Bacterial cells are living organisms and are much larger in size compared to viruses, which are non-living particles that require a host cell to replicate.


What are the viruses called that attack prokaryotes?

Viruses that attack prokaryotes are called bacteriophages. They specifically infect bacteria by injecting their genetic material into the bacterial cell, which then uses the cell's machinery to replicate and produce more viruses.


Are bacterial viruses with a polyhedral head attached to a helical tail?

No, bacterial viruses with a polyhedral head typically have a tail associated with the head structure. These viruses are known as bacteriophages. The tail plays a critical role in attaching to the host bacteria and injecting the viral genetic material into the bacterial cell for replication.


Why are antibiotics not effective against virueses?

beacause viruses are not a living organism such as bacteria.Atibiotic it interrupt one of the process of a bacterial cell.


What is the tail of a bacteriophage specialized for?

The tail of a bacteriophage is specialized for attaching to the host bacterial cell and injecting its genetic material into the cell. It helps the bacteriophage in recognizing and binding to specific receptors on the bacterial cell surface.


Why most viruses that infect bacteria have tails whereas most viruses that infect animals and plants do not?

Bacterial viruses, or bacteriophages, often have tails to help them attach to specific receptors on the bacterial cell surface. Animal and plant viruses typically do not need tails because they enter host cells through different mechanisms, such as membrane fusion or endocytosis. The diversity of host organisms and cell types likely contributes to the variety of viral structures seen across different types of viruses.


Why is Lysozyme is not effective against viruses?

Lysozyme (or muramidase) acts against peptidoglycan, as that found in bacterial cell walls but not in viruses. It stresses and breaks the glycosidic bond between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetylglucosamine, two alternating monosaccharides of the sugar component of peptidoglycan.


Does bacteriophage infect bacteria only?

Yes, bacteriophages are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. They target bacterial cells by injecting their genetic material into the bacterial cell and using the host's cellular machinery to replicate.


What are viruses that prevent bacteria?

Viruses that prevent bacterial infections are called as "bacteriophages".


How are the steps in the infection of an animal cell by a virus different from the infection of a bacterial cell by a virus?

Infection of an animal cell by a virus typically involves the virus attaching to specific receptors on the cell surface, entering the cell through endocytosis or direct fusion, replicating using host cell machinery, and then releasing new viruses by budding or cell lysis. In contrast, infection of a bacterial cell by a virus (called a bacteriophage) usually involves the phage injecting its genetic material into the bacterium, hijacking the bacterial machinery to replicate, and then causing lysis of the bacterial cell to release new phages.


Which is the largest a plant cell an animal cell or a bacterial cell?

Plant cells are generally larger than animal cells, and both are significantly larger than bacterial cells. Plant cells have a rigid cell wall that provides structural support and allows them to grow larger than animal cells, which do not have cell walls. Bacterial cells are much smaller than both plant and animal cells.


How do animal viruses differ from bacterial viruses?

retro virus = any of a family of single-stranded RNA viruses having a helical envelope and containing an enzyme that allows for a reversal of genetic transcription, from RNA to DNA rather than the usual DNA to RNA, the newly transcribed viral DNA being incorporated into the host cell's DNA strand for the production of new RNA retroviruses: the family includes the AIDS virus and certain oncogene-carrying viruses implicated in various cancers.