Virology Lectures 2017 #24: Unusual Infectious Agents

What is the smallest genome that can sustain an infectious agent? Might the genome of an infectious agent encode no protein? Could an infectious agent exist without a genome? These questions are answered by the amazing viroids - small RNAs that encode no proteins - satellites, and prions - infectious proteins that cause diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob and bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease.

[Kimchisogood]

Wonderful lecture. Am Korean univ student. Searched about virus on YT, the night before my final. Wanted to listen to only the relevant parts but ended up watching almost all of it. Thank you a lot for sharing it. Was very interesting and I really enjoyed it.
10/10 would watch again just for the sporadic jokes.

[raghuvirkenijr.]

The eye instrument is called TONOMETER measures intraocular pressure.

[raghuvirkenijr.]

"Its a Viroid it wont hurt you!" hahahaha good one ...

Love Prions ... very interesting thing ... How I wish I could do some pharmaceutical research on it.

[zxwmabcdef]

Has anyone thought to look for an infectious particle that has no genome or protein and is made of mostly iron and sulphur and is a parasite of the cells machinery for metabolism?  I reckon one could exist around hydrothermal vents.