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The study of viruses, bacteria, and protists has been going on for some time now. A virus is classified as an infective agent that typically consists of a nucleic acid molecule in a protein coat; it is too small to be seen by a light microscope. A virus is also able to multiply only within the living cells of a host. A bacterium is classified as a member of a large group of unicellular microorganisms that have cell walls, but lack organelles and an organized nucleus, including some that can cause disease. Protists are a large and diverse group of eukaryotic microorganisms, which belong to the kingdom Protista. Let’s move unto the structure of each microorganism.

The structure of a virus isn’t very complicated. All viruses contain nucleic acid, either DNA or RNA but not both. It also has a protein coat that holds the nucleic acid. Most viruses are held together by an envelope made of fat and protein molecules. Bacteria consist of DNA, RNA, proteins, polysaccharides, and phospholipids or a combination of something involving those. The macromolecules are made of amino acids, sugars, and nucleotides. Prions on the other hand do not contain any DNA or RNA. They are smaller than viruses.

The reproductive cycles for a virus can be two things. It can either go through the Lytic Cycle or the Lysogenic Cycle. During the Lytic Cycle there are five stages (Attachment, Penetration, Biosynthesis, Maturation, and Release.) The Lysogenic Cycle contains the same stages but following Penetration there is Integration. If it is going through the Lysogenic Cycle the phage becomes latent. Let’s talk about the stages. In Attachment the binding cites must match the receptor sites on host bacterial cell. The phage attaches to the host cell. During Pe...

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... structures that can do oth harmful and good things for us and our environments. The study has been going on for years. New things are found about each every day. I don’t think all the answers to viruses, bacteria, or prions will ever be found. The study will keep on going.

Works Cited o Lodish, Harvey. Viruses: Structure, Function, and Uses. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Dec. -0001. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. o ("Structure and Function of Bacterial Cells." Structure and Function of Bacterial Cells. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014) o (N.p., n.d. Web.) o "How Prions Arise." How Prions Arise. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. o N.p., n.d. Web. o Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 13 Dec. 2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. o "Bacterial Diseases." Bacterial Diseases. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. o N.p., n.d. Web.

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