What is a virus?
A virus is a microscopic infectious agent that requires a living host cell to replicate and is composed of genetic material (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coat.
How does a virus reproduce?
Viruses reproduce by infecting host cells, hijacking the cell's machinery to replicate their genetic material and produce new virus particles, which are then released to infect other cells.
Differences between a virus and a cell or multicellular organism:
- Structure: Viruses lack cellular structure and are not made up of cells, while cells are the basic unit of life and can be single-celled or part of multicellular organisms.
- Metabolism: Viruses do not have metabolic processes and cannot produce energy or synthesize proteins independently, whereas cells have metabolism and can carry out various life functions.
- Reproduction: Viruses reproduce only by infecting host cells, while cells can divide and reproduce independently through processes like mitosis or meiosis.
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