MICROVIRUSES Meaning and
Definition
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Microviruses, also known as microphages, refer to a class of small, non-enveloped, single-stranded DNA viruses that primarily infect bacteria. They are considered bacteriophages, which are viruses specifically designed to infect and replicate within bacterial cells. Microviruses are incredibly small, typically ranging from about 20 to 45 nanometers in diameter.
These viruses possess an icosahedral capsid structure, comprising a protein shell with icosahedral symmetry enclosing their genetic material. Their genomes are small, usually consisting of a circular, single-stranded DNA molecule, which encodes a limited number of genes necessary for their replication and assembly.
Microviruses exhibit a broad host range, with their target bacteria ranging from Escherichia coli to other enteric bacteria. They have been extensively studied due to their ability to parasitize hosts that are commonly used in laboratory research, such as E. coli.
The life cycle of microviruses follows the typical phage replication strategy. Upon infecting a susceptible bacterial host, the viral genome is injected into the cytoplasm, where it utilizes host machinery to replicate itself. This replication results in the synthesis of viral proteins and assembly of new viral particles. Eventually, the bacterial host is lysed, releasing the mature virus particles to further infect other bacterial cells.
Microviruses play an important ecological role, controlling bacterial populations by selectively infecting and eliminating specific hosts. This makes them a subject of interest in various fields, including molecular biology, genetics, and epidemiology. Their small size and simplicity also make them a valuable model system for studying fundamental aspects of virus-host interactions.
Common Misspellings for MICROVIRUSES
- nicroviruses
- kicroviruses
- jicroviruses
- mucroviruses
- mjcroviruses
- mkcroviruses
- mocroviruses
- m9croviruses
- m8croviruses
- mixroviruses
- mivroviruses
- mifroviruses
- midroviruses
- miceoviruses
- micdoviruses
- micfoviruses
- mictoviruses
- mic5oviruses
- mic4oviruses
- micriviruses
Etymology of MICROVIRUSES
The word "Microviruses" is a combination of two terms: "micro" and "viruses".
The term "micro" is derived from the Greek word "mikros", which means "small". It is often used as a prefix in scientific and technical contexts to denote something small or of microscopic proportions.
On the other hand, "virus" originated from the Latin word "virus", meaning "poison" or "slimy liquid". In its early usage, it referred to any harmful or poisonous substance. Over time, the term was specifically associated with infectious particles that can cause diseases. Today, it generally refers to submicroscopic infectious agents, often consisting of genetic material enclosed in a protein coat, which can replicate only inside living cells.
Therefore, "microviruses" denotes viruses of small size or microscopic nature.
