Consider statements about microorganisms: 1. Bacteria reproduce asexually by binary fission. 2. Fungi reproduce by spore formation. 3. Viruses can reproduce independently. Which are correct? MCQ with Answer and Explanation

Bacteria are prokaryotes that primarily reproduce asexually through binary fission, a process where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells. Fungi reproduce both sexually and asexually, but asexual reproduction commonly occurs through the formation and dispersal of spores (like conidia or sporangiospores). Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites; they lack the metabolic machinery for independent reproduction and must hijack a host cell's machinery to replicate. Thus, statements 1 and 2 are correct.