Question

Enter the answer in the space provided.

The chart lists a few structural characteristics of viruses.
1. Viruses are extraordinarily small in size.
2. Viruses are not specific to their hosts.
3. Viruses contain either DNA or RNA as genetic material.
4. Viruses lack cellular organization.
Based on the information, enter the number of the characteristic that explains why viruses are unable to reproduce on their own.

Answer 1

Viruses cannot reproduce on their own due to their lack of cellular organization, relying instead on a host cell's machinery, which classifies them as obligate intracellular parasites.

Step-by-step explanation:

The characteristic in the provided chart that explains why viruses are unable to reproduce on their own is characteristic number 4, which states that viruses lack cellular organization. Without this cellular structure, viruses do not have the necessary cellular machinery, such as ribosomes and organelles, to synthesize proteins or replicate independently. Instead, viruses must rely on a host cell's machinery to carry out these processes for them, which is why they are considered obligate intracellular parasites.

Answer 2

“The virus cannot reproduce itself outside the host because it lacks the complicated machinery that a [host] cell possesses.” The host's cellular machinery allows viruses to produce RNA from their DNA (a process calledtranscription) and to build proteins based on the instructions encoded in their RNA.