ABSTRACT

C is correct. It is the only statement that does not apply to virions.

D is correct. The virions of naked viruses consist only of nucleic acid genomes and proteinaceous capsids. While enveloped viruses have an additional lipid covering, there is no virion which is made up of nucleic acid protein or lipid only. However, there are plant pathogens called viroids that are small, naked, circular RNA molecules, and mammalian pathogens called prions consisting of proteins only (see question 169 below).