20 sided ( or facets)
vertex (12 evenly spaced corners)
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The icosahedral structure of a virus is a symmetrical arrangement of 20 equilateral triangles that form a roughly spherical shape. This structure is highly stable and efficient for packaging the viral genome within the protein capsid. The icosahedral symmetry allows viruses to maximize their genetic material while maintaining structural integrity.
Viral morphology refers to the size, shape, and structure of a virus particle. It encompasses characteristics such as the presence of an outer envelope, the type of genetic material (DNA or RNA), and the symmetry of the virus particle (e.g. helical, icosahedral). Understanding viral morphology is important for identifying and classifying viruses.
A virus is basically DNA or RNA (single- or double-stranded)surrounded by a protein capsule. Typically the protein coat, or capsid, of an individual virus particle, or virion, is composed of multiple copies of one or several types of protein subunits, or capsomeres. Some viruses contain enzymes, and some have an outer membranous envelope. Many viruses have striking geometrically regular shapes, with helical structure as in tobacco mosaic virus, polyhedral (often icosahedral) symmetry as in herpes virus, or more complex mixtures of arrangements as in large viruses, such as the pox viruses and the larger bacterial viruses, or bacteriophages . Certain viruses, such as bacteriophages, have complex protein tails. The inner viral genetic material -the nucleic acid- may be double stranded, with two complementary strands, or single stranded; it may be deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA). The nucleic acid specifies information for the synthesis of from a few to as many as 50 different proteins, depending on the type of virus.
Viruses are ranges in different sizes and structures. HIV, HBV, influenza are all spherical in shape. Phages like T phages carry an icosahedral structures. M13 phages, ebola appear as hair like (or tube) structures. TMV appears as rod like structure.
A bacteriophage virus is composed of a protein capsid that encloses its genetic material, which can either be DNA or RNA. The capsid is made up of protein subunits called capsomeres arranged in a helical or icosahedral structure. Some bacteriophages also have a tail structure used for attaching to and infecting bacterial cells.
No, adenovirus is a DNA virus, not an RNA virus. It infects humans and animals, causing various illnesses such as respiratory infections, conjunctivitis, and gastroenteritis.