Explain why it is essential for the ligand on a virus to bind to a specific cell receptor for a virus to infect it?

1 Answer
Mohan M.
Nov 8, 2017

Ligand in a biological system is a protein.

Explanation:

Virus surface may have a protein ligand.
This protein ligand acts as a recognition molecule for a cell to be infected.

Viruses cannot survive outside the cells. Cells have a defense mechanism to prevent any foreign substance . The viral ligand acts as a deception molecule to deceive host cells. The host cells recognize the protein molecule and allows entry of the ligand along with virus.

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