What best describes whether a virus is likely to infect a particular cell?

Question

A.  Viruses infect the first cells they encounter. 
B.  If a host cell is weakened, viruses are likely to infect it.
C.  A virus will only infect host cells with the correct surface receptors.
D.  Viruses only attack epithelial cells, such as the cells lining the lungs.
E.  The initial choice is random but once a cell type is chosen it becomes the preferred host .
Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?

  Gather Content
· What do you already know about viral host range?

  Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
 
Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?

Answer 1

C.  A virus will only infect host cells with the correct surface receptors.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o This question addresses viral host range.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o This question is asking you to take what you already know and apply it to this unfamiliar situation.

  Gather Content
· What do you already know about viral host range?
        o Viruses occur as obligate intracellular parasites in every kind of organism that has been investigated for their presence.
        o Viruses infect fungal cells, bacterial cells, and protists as well as cells of plants and animals; however, each type of virus can replicate in only a very limited number of cell types. A virus that infects bacteria would be ill-equipped to infect a human or plant cell.
        o The suitable cells for a particular virus are collectively referred to as its host range.
        o The first step of infection is called attachment, in which the virus contacts and becomes specifically bound to the cell. This step limits the host range of the virus as they bind to specific proteins on the surface of the cell.

  Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o Because of the need to bind receptors on the cell to enter, a virus will only infect host cells with the correct surface receptors.
 
Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        o The question required you to take what you already know and apply it to this unfamiliar situation.
        o Did you recognize that a virus has to match the receptors on its specific host cell?