THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF INHERITANCE
THE GENETICS OF VIRUSES AND BACTERIA
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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Smaller than bacteria
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Larger than a parasite
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About the size of a dime
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Smaller than a proton
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Detailed explanation-1: -The smallest bacteria are about 0.4 micron (one millionth of a meter) in diameter while viruses range in size from 0.02 to 0.25 micron. This makes most viruses submicroscopic, unable to be seen in an ordinary light microscope.
Detailed explanation-2: -Viruses are much smaller. The largest of them are smaller than the smallest bacteria. Unlike bacteria, viruses can’t survive without a host. They can only reproduce by attaching themselves to cells.
Detailed explanation-3: -Viruses are even smaller than bacteria. They aren’t even a full cell. They are simply genetic material (DNA or RNA) packaged inside of a protein coating. They need to use another cell’s structures to reproduce.
Detailed explanation-4: -Viruses are 1000 times smaller than bacteria. Bacteria are single-celled, prokaryotic microorganisms that exist in abundance in both living hosts and in all areas of the planet. A virus is acellular (has no cell structure) and requires a living host to survive.
Detailed explanation-5: -The physically largest virus is Pithovirus sibericum, at 1.5 microns (or 1, 500 nanometers) in length [2]. Though that might seem tiny, it is larger than some bacteria, and approximately half the width of a strand of spider web silk [3].