What is the SUBVIRAL PATHOGENS?
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SUBVIRAL PATHOGENS
Viroids (satellite RNA) and prions belong to this
category.
TO Diener (1971) discovered a new infectious agent that
was smaller than viruses and caused potato spindle tuber
disease, Citrus exocortis disease.
Viroids are small circular RNAs similar to viroids, but are
located inside protein coat of a true virus. Virusoids
require the assistance of virus for their replication.
Viroids are free RNAs devoid of nucleoprotein coat. The
RNA has low molecular weight and is tightly folded into
circular or linear single-stranded structure while, prions
are obligate parasites made of glycoproteins only. They
are formed due to mutations in gene PRNP. Prions are
not affected by proteases, nucleases, temperature upto
8000C, UV radiations and formaldehyde.
These cause disease by accumulating in nervous tissue and
cause its degeneration. Some common diseases caused by
them are scrapie of sheep, mad cow disease, etc.