Viral Infections & Virology

Plant and Animal Viruses

Viruses that damage plants are known as plant viruses. Plant viruses, like all other viruses, are obligatory intracellular parasites that lack the molecular machinery to replicate in the absence of a host. Plant viruses have the potential to cause disease in higher plants. The majority of plant viruses are rod-shaped, with protein discs forming a tube around the viral genome isometric particles are another typical shape.

Animal viruses are identified by the diseases they cause, plant viruses are identified by the disease and plant species that act as hosts, and microbiological viruses are identified by the organisms they infect. Depending on the nature of their genomes, animal viruses are classified as DNA or RNA viruses.

• Host Immune System Responses
• Viral Gene Mutation
• Viral Replication