Are viruses made up of cells?

Question

Elias Aboujaoude · Accepted Answer

Virus is not a cellular organism, it is only a living particle. Outside the host cell, a virus shows no sign of life. Thus all viruses are obligatory parasite, they replicate inside cells.

Virus is studied under biology because it has genes, and it evolves.

Viral particle is surrounded by protein capsid, inside there remains genetic material, the nucleic acid. A virus may possess either RNA or DNA as genetic material.

A virus enters the host cell, hijacks its machinery to produce viral proteins and to replicate its nucleic acid. New viral particles are assembled inside host cell and released, host cell is generally killed in the process.

Connor Abernathy · Answer

undefined No, viruses are not made up of cells. They are much simpler entities consisting of genetic material (either DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coat called a capsid. Some viruses also have an outer envelope composed of lipids. Unlike cells, viruses lack organelles, a cellular membrane, and the ability to carry out metabolic processes on their own. They are considered non-living entities and require a host cell to replicate and carry out their life cycle.