Question

Which of the following does a virus lack? Select all that apply.

a) Ribosomes
b) Plasma membrane
c) Nucleic acids
d) Enzymes

Answer 1

Viruses lack ribosomes and metabolic processes but contain nucleic acids and enzymes. They depend on the host cell's machinery for replication and metabolism.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question at hand seeks to identify which components viruses lack. To answer this, we need to understand basic viral structure and function. Viruses lack both ribosomes and metabolic processes. They do not possess ribosomes as they are not capable of synthesizing proteins on their own and thus rely on the host cell's ribosomes for protein synthesis. Similarly, viruses can't perform metabolic processes and require a host to carry out these functions. They do, however, contain nucleic acids, which can be either DNA or RNA, and enzymes that are necessary for the virus to replicate within the host cell. Glycoproteins are also typically found in the viral envelope, which they use to attach and enter host cells.