NEET BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Viruses cannot replicate on their own, but rather depend on their host cell’s protein synthesis pathways to reproduce. This typically occurs by the virus inserting its genetic material in host cells, co-opting the proteins to create viral replicates, until the cell bursts from the high volume of new viral particles.

Detailed explanation-2: -This process of host cell takeover is known as “molecular hijacking.” When a virus replicates it has to build entire viral particles and it has to not only make the proteins that comprise the viral capsid (and enclose it with an envelope), but it must also replicate its genetic material.

Detailed explanation-3: -Replication occurs in the cytoplasm and is largely independent of cellular machinery, as the particles contain many virus-encoded enzymes essential for RNA replication and transcription since these processes (involving copying RNA to make further RNA molecules) do not normally occur in cellular organisms.

Detailed explanation-4: -Key Points. Viral replication involves six steps: attachment, penetration, uncoating, replication, assembly, and release.