The Foot-and-Mouth Disease virus genome and envelope status are best described as which of the following?

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Multiple Choice

The Foot-and-Mouth Disease virus genome and envelope status are best described as which of the following?

FMDV is a picornavirus, so its genome is positive-sense single-stranded RNA. That means the RNA itself can act directly as mRNA in the host cell to produce a viral polyprotein, which is then processed into functional viral proteins. The virion is non-enveloped, consisting only of an icosahedral capsid around the RNA genome, which makes the virus relatively stable outside a host and capable of transmission in environments where enveloped viruses would be less hardy. This combination—positive-sense RNA that can be translated immediately, and a naked (non-enveloped) virion—fits the description provided. The other descriptions would imply a negative-sense RNA or double-stranded DNA, or an enveloped virion, none of which match FMDV.

FMDV is a picornavirus, so its genome is positive-sense single-stranded RNA. That means the RNA itself can act directly as mRNA in the host cell to produce a viral polyprotein, which is then processed into functional viral proteins. The virion is non-enveloped, consisting only of an icosahedral capsid around the RNA genome, which makes the virus relatively stable outside a host and capable of transmission in environments where enveloped viruses would be less hardy. This combination—positive-sense RNA that can be translated immediately, and a naked (non-enveloped) virion—fits the description provided. The other descriptions would imply a negative-sense RNA or double-stranded DNA, or an enveloped virion, none of which match FMDV.

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