Asked in NUMS 2014 2014

The genetic material of plant viruses mostly is:

Correct answer: B. RNA

  • A. DNA
  • B. RNA
  • C. Both a and b
  • D. Proteins

Explanation

The genetic material of plant viruses mostly consists of option B: RNA.Explanation:A) DNA: While some viruses, such as certain bacteriophages, have DNA as their genetic material, plant viruses predominantly have RNA. DNA-based plant viruses are relatively rare.B) RNA: RNA is the primary genetic material in most plant viruses. The RNA can be either single-stranded or double-stranded, and it can be positive-sense (directly translatable into proteins) or negative-sense (requires a complementary copy to be made before translation). Examples of plant viruses with RNA genomes include Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and Potato virus Y (PVY).C) Both A and B: While it is true that some plant viruses have DNA genomes, as mentioned earlier, they are relatively uncommon. Therefore, the majority of plant viruses have RNA as their genetic material.D) Proteins: Proteins are not the genetic material of plant viruses. However, proteins play a crucial role in the structure and function of the virus, including the formation of the viral capsid and the interaction with the host cell.In summary, the genetic material of plant viruses is predominantly RNA (option B), although there are some exceptions with DNA genomes.

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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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