Question

The site where the protein coat (capsid) synthesized is

• A. Plasma membrane of the host
• B. Mitochondria of the host
• C. Ribosome of the host
• D. RNA of the virus

Answer 1

The correct option is C Ribosome of the host

The capsid is the outer protective coat of virus which is made up of the specific protein. Since a virus is an obligate intracellular parasite and lacks its own machinery to proceed its life cycle, it uses host machinery for its life-sustaining functions or reproduction. As the virus lacks ribosomes, it can't synthesize proteins, because ribosomes are the site of protein synthesis. So the virus uses the ribosomes of the host cell to synthesize its protein coat by translating the viral mRNA into viral proteins.

Thus, the ribosomes of the host cell are the site of synthesis of the protein coat or capsid of the virus

So, the correct answer is C.