Question

What is the meaning of polyhedral virus?

Answer 1

Viruses are submicroscopic agents that are infectious in nature. These infectious agents are only able to replicate inside of a living cell by using it as a host. Viruses may or may not kill their host cells during the process of replication in the host cell.

Complete Answer:
A virus can infect all forms of life including animals, plants, other microorganisms like bacteria and archaea. There have been more than 5000 species of viruses that have been described in detail by virologists. There are millions of species of viruses that have been estimated to exist in the environment.
Viruses are found in almost every ecosystem on the planet and are considered to be the most abundant organisms that are present on earth. Viruses are neither living nor non living. They fall in the slim margin between living and non living.
The nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) is an insect affecting virus that is a part of the Baculoviridae family. It predominantly affects insects like moths and butterflies. Nuclear polyhedrosis viruses can also be used as pesticides. The polyhedral virus gets its name from the polyhedral capsid. The polyhedral capsid is an extremely stable protein crystal. This polyhedral capsid protects the virus from the external environment. The polyhedral capsid dissolves in the midgut of insects. The midgut of insects is alkaline and causes the activation of the virus. The virus infects the larvae of the insects after being activated.

Note:
The baculovirus family is an insect infecting family, with over 500 host species having been described. They are associated with the orders of Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Neuroptera, Coleoptera, Trichoptera, Crustacea and mites with the Larval forms of lepidopteran species like moths and butterflies being the most common hosts, but these viruses have also been found infecting sawflies, and mosquitoes.