Before revision: Viruses Viruses were initially described as poisons or toxins, then as "infectious proteins"; but they possess genetic material, a defined structure, and the ability to spontaneously assemble from their constituent parts.
After revision: Nucleic acid-containing infectious agentsViruses Viruses were initially described as poisons or toxins, then as "infectious proteins"; but they possess genetic material, a defined structure, and the ability to spontaneously assemble from their constituent parts.