Which of the following statements is wrong for viroids?
- They lack a protein coat
- They are smaller than viruses
- They cause infections
- Their RNA is of high molecular weight
Solution
In viroids, RNA is of low molecular weight. Viroids, the smallest known pathogens, are naked, circular, single-stranded RNA molecules that do not encode protein yet replicate autonomously when introduced into host plants. Potato spindle tuber viroid, discovered in 1971, is the prototype; 29 other viroids have since been discovered ranging in length from 120 to 475 nucleotides. Viroids only infect plants; some cause economically important diseases of crop plants, while others appear to be benign.
Asked in: NEET 2016 (Phase 1)
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