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Viruses replicate only within living host cells and infect all major forms of life.
A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of an organism. Viruses infect all life forms—animals, plants, microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea—and are found in essentially every ecosystem on Earth. When a virus is not actively infecting a cell, it exists as an independent viral particle called a virion.
Viruses replicate only within living host cells and infect all major forms of life.
A virion is the infectious viral particle outside host cells, typically consisting of genetic material (DNA or RNA) plus a protein capsid, and sometimes an outer lipid envelope derived from the host membrane.
Virion shapes vary widely (e.g., helical and icosahedral forms), and most are too small to be seen with an optical microscope.
A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism.
A virion is a complete, independent viral particle outside host cells that can infect other cells and typically contains nucleic acid surrounded by a protein capsid, sometimes with a lipid envelope.
The capsid is the protein coat that surrounds and protects a virus’s genetic material in a virion.
An envelope is an outer lipid membrane surrounding some virions, derived from the host cell membrane.
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