Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of viruses?

Viruses are unique entities that operate quite differently from living organisms. One key characteristic is that they lack their own metabolism. Instead, they are dependent on the host cell's metabolic processes to replicate and produce new viral particles. This dependency underscores their acellular nature, as they do not possess the cellular structures or enzymatic machinery necessary for metabolism, such as the capability to generate energy or synthesize proteins independently.

In contrast, viruses are obligate intracellular parasites, meaning they can only reproduce within a host cell. They contain genetic material, either DNA or RNA, which is a fundamental characteristic that distinguishes them from non-living entities. This genetic material carries the instructions necessary for the virus to hijack the host's cellular machinery. Additionally, being acellular is another defining trait of viruses, as they do not consist of cells and lack cellular structures.

Thus, the assertion that viruses have their own metabolism is incorrect, making it the option that does not align with the recognized characteristics of viruses.