A small infectious agent that replicates only inside living cells of other organisms
Answer (1)
A small infectious agent that replicates only inside living cells of other organisms is called a virus. Viruses are acellular pathogens composed of a DNA or RNA genome enclosed in a protein coat called a capsid; some also have a lipid envelope derived from the host cell membrane. They lack the cellular machinery for metabolism and reproduction and must hijack a host cell’s machinery to replicate. The complete virus particle outside the host cell is called a virion.
