Question

Bacteriophage, unlike animal viruses, often have special viral-specific enzymes carried in the capsid which enter the host cell at the same time as the nucleic acid.

a) True
b) False

Answer 1

The claim that bacteriophages carry special viral-specific enzymes within their capsid is false. Bacteriophages inject their genetic material into the host cell without the capsid, which does not enter the bacteria. This mode of infection differs from the processes used by many animal and plant viruses.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that bacteriophages carry special viral-specific enzymes in the capsid is false. Unlike animal viruses, bacteriophages inject their genetic material into the host cell without the capsid, which remains outside the cell. The protein coat does not enter bacteria. Once inside, the injected bacterial nucleic acid becomes available for replication and transcription. While some phages may carry enzymes required for infection or replication, these are not typically carried within the capsid.

For instance, the T4 bacteriophage, which infects Escherichia coli, injects its DNA directly into the bacterial cell, facilitating a lytic cycle leading to the death of the host, or a lysogenic cycle, where the viral genome integrates into the bacterial genome. Thus, the way bacteriophages infect cells is distinct from the endocytosis and membrane fusion methods used by many animal and plant viruses.