Subviral agents

Viroids are small single-stranded, circular RNAs that are infectious pathogens. Unlike viruses, they have no protein coating. All known viroids are inhabitants of angiosperms (flowering plants), and most cause diseases, whose respective economic importance to humans varies widely. A 2023 metatranscriptomics study suggests that viroids and viroid-like elements can be found in all domains of life.

subviral agent composed of nucleic acid

viroid-like element

defective mutant viral genomes and particles which are incompetent in independent replication and interfere with normal virus replication