Asked in PMC Practice Test 18 (2021) 2021Moderate

The envelope of an enveloped virus is derived from?

Correct answer: B. Cell membrane of host cell

  • A. The mitochondrion of the cell
  • B. Cell membrane of host cell
  • C. Endoplasmic reticulum of the cell
  • D. None of these

Explanation

Correct option is B. The outermost layer of a virus is the envelope. A large number of viruses do not have envelopes. A virus derives the envelope from the cell membrane of the host cell, and also from the membranes of the cell organelles, via the process of budding. The viral envelope also has proteins embedded into them, encoded by the virus. The glycoproteins on the envelope are recognized by the host cells as their own, thus facilitating the uptake of the virus by uninfected host cells and spreading the infection.

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About Viruses

Viruses are acellular infectious particles made of genetic material enclosed by a protein capsid, sometimes with a lipid envelope. Their replication depends on a host cell and may follow lytic or lysogenic cycles, so viral structure and reproduction differ fundamentally from those of cellular organisms such as bacteria.

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