Question

The large object in the picture above is a single bacteria cell. The many small structures attached to it are viruses called

bacteriophages which are attaching to the receptor sites on the bacteria cell. Which of the following is one important
difference between a virus and a bacteria cell?

Answer 1

Answer Options:

a. a virus is much larger in size than a bacterial cell

b. a virus always causes more severe disease than a bacterial cell

c. a virus can never reproduce on its own, but a bacterial cell can

d. a virus does not contain genetic material, but a bacterial cell does

Answer:

c. a virus can never reproduce on its own, but a bacterial cell can

Step-by-step explanation:

a. a virus is much larger in size than a bacterial cell - this is false, a virus is much smaller than a bacterial cell

b. a virus always causes more severe disease than a bacterial cell - this is false, both can be deadly pathogens

c. a virus can never reproduce on its own, but a bacterial cell can - this is true. Viruses are not cellular and need a host cell to reproduce, but bacteria do not.

d. a virus does not contain genetic material, but a bacterial cell does - this is false, viruses contain either a DNA or RNA genome