Compare and contrast viruses and bacteria in terms of their structure. How do these characteristics affect the environments in which they are found?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANSWER:
Viruses consist of little more than a nucleic acid (RNA or DNA) wrapped in a protein coat, and sometimes surrounded by a lipid envelope. As such, they rely mostly on human cells to provide the machinery to reproduce. In contrast, bacteria are cellular organisms that have their own cell walls. Both are infectious and carry nucleic acids. The habitats where they live are affected by their structures. For example, because viruses depend entirely on human cells, they are specialized for certain tissues in specific hosts. Bacteria may be found in nearly every habitat and environmental extreme, some even withstanding extreme heat.