Viroid

Real World Example

Imagine you have a single loose thread on your favorite sweater that, if pulled, can unravel a significant portion of it. Similarly, a viroid is like that loose thread, as it's a tiny, circular piece of RNA that can disrupt the entire functioning of a plant. Just as that one thread can cause damage to your sweater by undoing its structure, a viroid can infect a plant by interfering with its cellular processes, leading to disease. In both cases, a small, seemingly insignificant component can have a disproportionately large impact on the whole system.