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Are Viruses Alive?

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Submitted By Olivia579
Words 1104
Pages 5
-Topic C– Are viruses alive?

Viruses were first discovered in the late 19th century, through diseases such as rabies and foot in mouth (Villarreal, 2004). They were originally postulated to be poisons and earnt their name virus from the Latin word virulent, meaning poisonous (Villarreal, 2004). Viruses are non- cellular infecting agents which lack the essential systems necessary for metabolic functions. Nevertheless they have the ability to reproduce and evolve within truly ‘living’ cells. As a result the scientific community have been unable to determine whether a virus is a form of life or an organic structure that interacts with living organisms (Villarreal, 2004). Scientist also struggled with the concept of the term ‘living’, and what it may entail scientifically.

Viruses are built from nuclear acids that come together to form either DNA or RNA molecules, which carries their genetic information (Reynolds, 2003). In addition to this, viruses are also built from proteins which form a protein coat to protect this genetic information (Reynolds, 2003). Viruses are non-cellular parasites that can infect all life i.e. bacteria, plants, fungi and animals (Ladiges, 2010). As a singular agent viruses are known as a viron (Witzany, 2012). Virons cannot replicate outside of a living cell, but can do so in living cells, which, as a result, affects the behaviour and health of the hosts profoundly (Reynolds, 2003). When a viron enters a cell it disassembles its structure, in order to release its own genetic information into the host (Ladiges, 2010). It takes over from the host own genes, and uses the cell’s own metabolic system to produce a range of viral proteins, which also may infect other cells (Ladiges, 2010). They also prevent the cell from producing and copying any of its own genetic material, this stops the cell sending out signals to warn neighbouring cells or

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