Practice question
Question
The protective protein coat of a virus is called a capsid. This capsid is made of smaller, repeating protein subunits known as:
Explanation
To protect their delicate internal nucleic acid genome, viruses are enveloped in a robust protein coat called a capsid. According to the NCERT text, this capsid is structurally composed of many small, repeating, interlocking protein subunits called 'capsomeres'. These capsomeres are typically arranged in highly precise geometric patterns, such as helical or complex polyhedral forms, depending on the specific virus species.
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