Question

Viruses need a host cell to replicate but what exactly do they need from the host cell that would enable them to replicate?

Answer 1

if we see the virus structure we will find that they have only genetic material in a protein coat but for replication it is not enough. if a virus needs to replicate it need protein coat or we can say proteins and if we see central dogma we can find that to make a protein first cell has to transcribe it and then translate so most of the viruses lacks the translation machinery to produce protein which helps to make protein coat. In order to get this they hacks host traslation and transcription machinery and produces their own proteins and assemble them with the genetic material.