Identifying Proteases Being Essential for the Replication of a Virus

Question

Identifying proteases being essential for the replication of a virus would suggest the virus
A) lyses its host following genome replication.
B) contains at least one polyprotein.
C) has a single-stranded RNA genome.
D) uses at least one set of overlapping genes.

Accepted Answer

The presence of proteases suggests the virus contains at least one polyprotein. Proteases are enzymes that can cleave polyproteins into smaller functional proteins that are necessary for the replication of the virus. This implies that the virus has a complex genome and requires multiple functional proteins to complete its replication cycle.