What characteristic of viruses distinguishes them from cells?

Question

Responses

Their traits do not evolve in response to selection pressures.
Their traits do not evolve in response to selection pressures.

They do not have hereditary material.
They do not have hereditary material.

They lack an independent metabolism.
They lack an independent metabolism.

They are not separated from their environments.

Answer 1

The characteristic of viruses that distinguishes them from cells is:

They lack an independent metabolism.

Viruses do not have the machinery to carry out metabolic processes on their own; they rely on a host cell's cellular machinery to replicate and produce new virus particles. In contrast, cells generally have their own metabolic pathways and can sustain themselves independently.