Viruses come in a wide diversity of shapes and structures. They contain either DNA or RNA genetic material within a protein capsid shell that protects the nucleic acid. Some viruses have an additional outer membrane envelope. Viruses replicate solely within the living cells of their host by using the host's cellular machinery and cannot reproduce on their own. They range in complexity from simple viruses with just a few genes to more complex viruses with thousands of genes. Viruses infect all domains of life including animals, plants, bacteria, and archaea.