Question

What are the 3 types of capsids?

Answer 1

Capsids:

1. Capsid is the outer covering of the virus.
2. It is made of various subunits which can be proteins called as protomeres.
3. The 3 dimensional units that are observed are called capsomeres.

The three types of capsids are as follow:

1. Helical:

• Helical capsids are made up of only type of protein subunits.
• They get stacked around each other on a axis to form a helical structure.
• This. type of arrangement results into a filamentous structure of the virus.
• For example tobacco mosaic virus.

2. Icosahedral:

• This type of virus arranges its subunit in the form of an icosahedron with 120 sides.
• For example poliovirus, rhinovirus.

3. Prolate:

• Prolate is just an elongated icosahedron.
• It is also referred to as the bacilliform or tubuliform viruses.