Understanding Viral Structure: Nucleic Acid & Protein Coat
Viruses contain two main types of substances:
1. Nucleic acid: This is the genetic material of the virus, which can be either DNA or RNA.
2. Protein coat: This is the outer layer of the virus, which is made up of proteins.
The protein coat serves to protect the nucleic acid and facilitates entry into the host cell. Some viruses also have an envelope, which is an outer layer of lipid bilayer derived from the host cell membrane.
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