[Campbell Biology P.461] What is a fundamental difference between viruses and prions as infe... | Practice Question

What is a fundamental difference between viruses and prions as infectious agents?

  • A: Viruses contain genetic material (nucleic acids), while prions are infectious proteins without nucleic acids.
  • B: Viruses exclusively infect animals, whereas prions exclusively infect plants.
  • C: Viruses are always beneficial to their hosts, but prions are always harmful.
  • D: Viruses replicate independently, while prions require a host cell's machinery to replicate.

Explanation

The text states that viruses have genetic material nucleic acids and replicate, while prions are infectious proteins that cause degenerative brain diseases and do not contain nucleic acids. This is the core distinction.