Here's why:
* Lack of independent metabolism: Viruses lack the necessary machinery to produce their own proteins and energy. They rely on the host cell's metabolic processes for survival.
* Obligate intracellular parasites: Viruses can only replicate inside a living host cell. They cannot generate energy or create their own building blocks independently.
* Viral replication cycle: Viruses inject their genetic material (DNA or RNA) into a host cell. They then hijack the host's cellular machinery to create new viral components, which assemble into new viruses.
Let me know if you have any more questions!
