Electron micrographs of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection show the following progression; the intact virus first interacts with cell-surface proteoglycans and then with specific receptors, viral capsids dock with nuclear pores, and, finally, capsids go from being full to being "empty." Which of the following statements best fits these observations?
A) Viral capsids are needed for the cell to become infected; its proteins mediate binding with specific cells.
B) The viral envelope is not required for infectivity; its components do not enter the nucleus.
C) Only the genetic material of the virus is involved in infection; it is injected into the cytoplasm like the genome of a phage.
D) The viral envelope mediates entry into the cell; the viral genome is all that enters the nucleus.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The progression described indicates that the viral envelope facilitates the virus's entry into the cell, and only the viral genome (indicated by the capsids going from full to empty) enters the nucleus, which aligns with choice D.

Electron Micrographs of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Infection Show the Following