A virus is a type of microbe that consists of two parts: a small genome of either single-stranded or double-stranded DNA or RNA, and a protein coat called a capsid which protects the genome. It is debatable whether or not viruses are living organisms because of their structures and functions; however, according to the characteristics of what makes an organism truly living, including nutrition, respiration, movement, excretion, growth, reproduction, and homeostasis, viruses are not actually alive (Kadhila). Because of their simple structure, it is possible that viruses could be the basis of modern cells, but their lack of basic characteristics, such as respiration, reproduction, and movement, means they cannot possibly be living creatures. Respiration is the process by which an organism creates energy that it can use for various processes. An organism can obtain the organic molecules it needs to produce its energy either through autotrophy or heterotrophy. It can then convert these …show more content…
Because of their simplicity, they could potentially have been the starting material of cells. Upon replication of their genome, it is possible that mutations could occur, coding for proteins that could later serve various cellular functions, or that upon budding for eukaryotic viruses, a ribosome or other organelle could have gone with the virus and become integrated into its system. If an organism is missing only one of the characteristics of life, it cannot be considered alive. Upon reviewing several of these characteristics, it becomes apparent that viruses are truly not living creatures. For them to be thought of as alive, the definition of what it means to be alive would have to change. As more research is done on microbes, perhaps the definition will change, but until then, the evidence points to one conclusion: viruses are not
Viruses are capsules with genetic material inside. They are very tiny, much smaller than bacteria. Viruses cause familiar infectious diseases such as the common cold, flu and warts. They also cause severe illnesses such as HIV/AIDS,
These viruses include the following: herpes, measles, fowl pox, mumps, and equine encephalitis. It was said that Henrietta’s cells helped launch the field of virology. The book also mentions how viruses reproduce by injecting some of their genetic material into a living cell, essentially reprogramming the living cell so it reproduces the virus instead of itself which is a concept we have learned this semester (Skloot, Location
What are viruses? An infective agent that typically consists of a DNA acid molecule in a protein coat, is too small to be seen by a microscope, and is able to multiply only within the living cells of a host; viruses are smaller than any infectious bacterial particles. Viruses rely on the host cells they infect to reproduce. While outside of host cells, viruses are protein coats or capsids, sometimes inside a layer of film.
Dictionary.com defines a filo virus as “any of several filamentous single stranded RNA viruses.” The Hot Zone is a terrifying true story, by Richard Preston, about the historical stories of Ebola and other viruses such as Marburg and Simian Fever. Richard Preston teaches the reader that nature is unpredictable and that you should always be ready for something new. Dan Dalgard, Gene Johnson, and Nancy Jaax; these are just some of the extraordinary people who have made new breakthroughs in the medical field. Gene Johnson was one of the first discoverers of Ebola and has become an expert on the filo virus.
To identify if the disease is a virus, there must be evidence shown that the cells do not undergo binary fission; they create new particles like an assembly line. Another trait of a virus is they have a one, single nucleic acid, whether that be DNA or
The argument that all viruses are deadly is incorrect. In the Hot Zone, Preston explained how Ebola and Marburg caused an epidemic that killed over hundreds of people and animals. In the novel, Preston also mentions smallpox and malaria. Being diseases, there are cures for all of them which overtime will eventually prove to be not deadly. Although hundreds of lives were lost against the virus, there came a cure later on.
Although microscopic single-celled organisms inhabited earth long before humans evolved from their primate ancestors, they continue to coexist and coevolve with humans today, flourishing as both harmless and deadly companions. Within her literary work Deadly Companions: How Microbes Shaped Our History, microbiologist Dorothy Crawford begins with a dramatic account of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the first pandemic of the twenty-first century. Crawford travels back in time four billion years ago to the origin of microbes, recounting the evolutionary history of microbes, showing how microbes spread and cause epidemics, and revealing how coevolution yields host resistance. Furthermore, Crawford explores the intertwining history of microbes and humans, with the purpose to reveal the link between the emergence of microbes and the cultural development of man.
“An idea is like a virus. Resilient. Highly contagious. The smallest seed of an idea can grow. It can grow to define...or destroy you.”
1. A viruses is a non-living infection agent and can be found anywhere. it has no cell organelles. They are eliminated by the immune system. Viruses are the smallest in size of all the microbes.
Bacteria may travel for a lengthy amount of time before crashing randomly with other planets or disks. If met with ideal conditions on a new planets’ surfaces, the bacteria becomes active and the process of evolution begins. In natural science, abiogenesis is the natural process by which life arises from non-living matter, such as simple organic compounds. It is a study of how biological life processes, and the method by how life on how Earth arose.
However, this determination is not always straightforward. Viruses have some, but not all, of the qualities of living organisms, and scientists have long argued whether or not they should be considered as living organisms. In this exercise you will determine whether specimens are non-living, living, or dead. CHARACTERISTICS OF LIFE - STATION LAB Lab Procedures: First, observe the specimens located at each station without touching it.
Introduction The purpose of this lab is to use control variables to help identify different macromolecules. Biological systems are made up of these four major macromolecules: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Carbohydrates are sugar molecules (monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides) which make them the most abundant macromolecule on the earth. Lipids (oils and fats, phospholipids and steroids) are insoluble in water and perform many functions such as energy source, essential nutrients, hormones and insulators (Lehman, 1955).
There is an overwhelming amount of support for theories on the origin of life. Although each theory differs to one another, all proposed theories imply that life has evolved from single-celled microorganisms to the complex multicellular life forms that have existed over millions of years. The first hypothesis I am evaluating is the Panspermia hypothesis. Panspermia, from Ancient Greek is defined as (pan) meaning ‘all’, and (sperma) meaning ‘seeds’.
But some zombies can be created by viruses’ and vu do. In the last of us (video game) the zombie outbreak was from a zombie ant. When the zombie ant bite someone fungal residue on a human’s face and other parts of the body. The virus took 60% of the human’s species. If you don’t want to see people grow mushrooms out of head fallow the steps and rules that will tell how to survive the ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!
Microbes were the first organism to occupy the Earth. They are a group of the smallest organisms and are single cellular organisms. Microbes are becoming important in areas such as biochemistry, genetics, agriculture and medicine. They are also important decomposers. One example, of a microbial life is the prokaryotes called bacteria.