5. Viruses

Apuntes

5. Viruses ☐ Explain why viruses are not considered living things. ☐ What was the last severe pandemic caused by a virus? Search for the name of the virus and the disease it caused. Include it in your calendar. ☐ WORK WITH THE IMAGE. Which microorganism causes the flu? Describe the symptoms of this illness and how it is transmitted.  Viruses are particles made up of nucleic acid and proteins. They are not considered living things, as they are not formed of cells. All of them are obligate parasites, as they can only reproduce within a cell. Viruses infect all kinds of organisms, from bacteria to people. They come in many shapes, but they share certain features:  Nucleic acid. The instructions for reproduction of the virus are stored here. Capsid. This is a covering of proteins surrounding the nucleic acid. Envelope. Some, like coronaviruses, have an outer shell of proteins that form a crown or corona.  ## The reproduction of viruses In order to reproduce, viruses have to enter a cell. 1. The virus attaches itself to a cell. 4. The copies of the nucleic acid and the proteins join to form new virus...