Which statement best describes viral reproduction?(1 point)
Viruses reproduce independent of cell based organisms.
Viruses may contain DNA or RNA.
Viral nucleic acid is inserted into a host cell where it may replicate immediately or become dormant until a later time.
The lysogenic phase of viral replication causes cell death while the lytic phase of viral replication results in prophage formation.
The correct statement is:
Viral nucleic acid is inserted into a host cell where it may replicate immediately or become dormant until a later time.
Viral nucleic acid is inserted into a host cell where it may replicate immediately or become dormant until a later time.
The statement that best describes viral reproduction is:
Viral nucleic acid is inserted into a host cell where it may replicate immediately or become dormant until a later time.
To arrive at this answer, we can analyze the other statements and eliminate them one by one.
The first statement, "Viruses reproduce independent of cell based organisms," is not completely accurate. Viruses cannot reproduce on their own and require a host cell to replicate. Therefore, this statement is incorrect.
The second statement, "Viruses may contain DNA or RNA," is correct. Viruses can have either DNA or RNA as their genetic material.
The fourth statement, "The lysogenic phase of viral replication causes cell death while the lytic phase of viral replication results in prophage formation," is incorrect. The lysogenic phase of viral replication involves the incorporation of viral DNA into the host's genome, while the lytic phase involves the replication and release of viral particles. Cell death can occur during the lytic phase, but not during the lysogenic phase.
Therefore, the third statement, "Viral nucleic acid is inserted into a host cell where it may replicate immediately or become dormant until a later time," is the most accurate and best describes viral reproduction.