Virology Lectures 2024 #24: Unusual infectious agents

As we near the end of Virology Lectures 2024, we tackle some profound questions: 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 remarkable viroids - small RNAs that encode no proteins - satellite viruses, and prions - infectious proteins that cause diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob and bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease.

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[Barbara-liyb]

Thank you for discussing TSE’s, especially.