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Microbiology · Chapter 5

Anatomy of a Virus

A virus is not a cell. It is genetic material in a protein coat, and sometimes a stolen membrane on top. Build one here. The drawing is to scale, and every choice you make changes how long the particle lasts and what kills it.

Enveloped virus, 100 nm across

Tap a part in the list to light it up in the drawing.
Enveloped virusgenome · capsid · envelope · spikes

Build the particle

Outer layer
Capsid shape

What this build means

Alcohol hand rubworks
Life on a dry surfacehours
Speed of changefast
Light microscopefar too small
Nucleocapsidgenome plus capsid
Real viruses built this way

The parts, one at a time