What do most viruses have?

Prepare for the PLTW Biomedical Science Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question comes with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

What do most viruses have?

Explanation:
Most viruses use RNA as their genetic material. Viruses are tiny particles with a protein shell that encases either RNA or DNA. Among known viruses, RNA genomes are more common, including many different families, while DNA genomes are present but fewer in number. Some viruses have a lipid envelope, but not all do, so lipids aren’t universal to most viruses. Proteins are essential to all viruses, but their presence isn’t what distinguishes the majority; the defining difference for many viruses is their RNA genome. So, RNA is the best answer.

Most viruses use RNA as their genetic material. Viruses are tiny particles with a protein shell that encases either RNA or DNA. Among known viruses, RNA genomes are more common, including many different families, while DNA genomes are present but fewer in number. Some viruses have a lipid envelope, but not all do, so lipids aren’t universal to most viruses. Proteins are essential to all viruses, but their presence isn’t what distinguishes the majority; the defining difference for many viruses is their RNA genome. So, RNA is the best answer.

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