The 4 Shapes of a Virus
Jonathan Almeida pd:1
Polyhedral Virus
Polyhedra contain embedded virus particles and function as the main infectious form for baculoviruses and cypoviruses, two distinct classes of viruses that infect mainly Lepitoptera species (butterflies and moths). Adenovirus are shaped like this.
Spherical Virus
The observable 3-dimensional morphological subunits, which may or may not correspond to individual proteins. The capsid encloses the genetic material of the virus. The AIDS virus is shaped spherically like this one.
Helical virus
Consist of nucleic acid surrounded by a hollow protein cylinder or capsid and possessing a helical structure. A virus that contains this virus is the Tobacco mosaic virus.
Complex virus
Have neither helical nor polyhedral forms, are pleomorphic or irregular shape, or have complex structures. Bacteriophage are shaped complex.