∞ generated and posted on 2020.12.17 ∞
The combination of virus genome and proteins containing the genome but excluding especially envelopes.
| The Nucleocapsid especially is the virus genome in combination with the virion proteins that are in direct contact with that genome. |
This is a combination of the virus nucleic acid and virion capsid proteins.
For naked (nonenveloped) viruses, the nucleocapsid is basically the virion itself. For enveloped viruses, however, it is the portion of the virion that is enclosed by the envelope.
For enveloped viruses, the process of infection begins with the uptake of the nucleocapsid into the target cell's cytoplasm. The uncoating step is then the separation of the virus genome from the capsid.