A key difference between bacteria and a virus is their ability to reproduce and replicate. As bacteria are living organisms containing DNA, ribosomes, and proteins they do not need to use cells to replicate. They utilise the process of binary fission for reproduction. Unlike bacteria, a virus cannot replicate or express their genes without a host cell and must undergo a lytic/lysogenic cycle. With the lytic cycle, the virus will bind to the host cell and either inject their genes into the cell or bind to cell membrane receptors causing mediated endocytosis of the whole virus. Once inside, the virus marshal’s the cell’s ribosomes and cellular machinery to replicate huge quantities of the virus. The host cell is eventually overcome with the new
