Which of the following methods would be best to use for distinguishing between an infectious agent that is a virus and one that is a prion?
A) Treat the substance with enzymes that destroy all nucleic acids, and then determine whether the substance is still infectious.
B) Filter the substance to remove all elements smaller than what can be easily seen under a light microscope.
C) Culture the substance on nutritive medium, away from any cells.
D) Treat the sample with proteases that digest all proteins, and then determine whether the substance is still infectious.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Viruses contain nucleic acids, so treating the substance with enzymes that destroy nucleic acids will render a virus non-infectious, while prions, which are infectious proteins, will remain infectious.

Which of the Following Methods Would Be Best to Use