Are viruses alive? Support your answer using at least five of the emergent properties of life. Your answer should include the property of life, how a virus satisfies or does not satisfy that property (for each of the five properties), and your conclusion as to whether or not viruses are alive.

Question

Biology

Gilbert

10 April, 17:57

Are viruses alive? Support your answer using at least five of the emergent properties of life. Your answer should include the property of life, how a virus satisfies or does not satisfy that property (for each of the five properties), and your conclusion as to whether or not viruses are alive.

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Answers (1)

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Enrique Duffy · Answer 1

Viruses are debated to be the intermediate between living and non-living organisms. However, since they don't comply to the properties of life, they are non-living.

Explanation:

The five properties of life are prominent characteristics of all living organisms. These are:

Order Sensitivity or Response to Stimuli Reproduction Growth and Development Homeostasis All living organisms possess order i. e. they are complex systems consisting of organelles, cells, tissues and organ systems. Even unicellular organisms like bacteria possess organelles that perform various functions with coordinated division of labor. Viruses lack this order completely. They are termed acellular because they lack organelles and comprise only of genetic material and a protein coat. Outside the host, viruses do not respond to stimuli. Responding to stimuli require sensory and motor functions that are absent in viruses. The expression of these functions requires a genetic and biochemical machinery that produces proteins through the central dogma. Since, viruses cannot express their genes on their own, they cannot respond to environmental cues. Viruses cannot replicate their genetic material without the biochemical machinery of the host cell. Viruses possess genetic material but do not possess any replication machinery. Therefore, they cannot reproduce outside a living cell. On their own, viruses exist as crystals made only of protein and DNA/RNA. Therefore, they cannot grow. Viruses can neither detect changes in their environment nor regulate their internal environment outside a living cell. Homeostasis is a complex process that requires the coordination of different cells and organelles. Since viruses lack this organization, they cannot perform homeostasis.