Are viruses living organisms?

2605>Yep!!!
Reply:No because technically they don't have all 5 characteristics that define living things
Reply:It depends on who you ask in the scientific community. This is due to the fact that viruses have characteristics of life, but not all of them





They have:


Genetic, heritable information


The ability to replicate


The ability to evolve





They don't have:


The MEANS to replicate or survive except within a host. In addition, they only replicate and evolve, and don't do much 'living' things such as collect energy or materials, they simply latch onto a cell, insert genetic information and some proteins made from the previous cell, and commence to use the cells materials and energy to replicate. Because of this, many scientist consider viruses to just be advance rouge forms of DNA and RNA, similar to the transposable elements within our DNA, which on their own can jump from spot to spot and replicate. These elements are assumed to be dormant viruses and are what makes corn yellow instead of purplish like it is in the wild (search maize). I personally believe that viruses are alive, because compared to a lump of biomatter, they are just as infinitely more complex as we are, but thats just me and my take.
Reply:A Virus (from the latin Virus meaning toxin or poison) is a sub-microscopic infectious agent that is unable to grow or reproduce outside a host cell. Each viral particle, or virion, consists of genetic material, DNA or RNA, within a protective protein coat called a capsid. The capsid shape varies from simple helical and icosahedral (polyhedral or near-spherical) forms, to more complex structures with tails or an envelope. Viruses infect cellular life forms and are grouped into animal, plant and bacterial types, according to the type of host infected.





It has been argued whether viruses are living organisms. Some consider them non-living as they DO NOT meet the criteria of the definition of life. For example, unlike most organisms, viruses DO NOT have cells. However, viruses have genes and evolve by natural selection. They have been described as "organisms at the edge of life". Viral infections in human and animal hosts usually result in an immune response and disease. Often, a virus is completely eliminated by the immune system. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses, but antiviral drugs have been developed to treat life-threatening infections. Vaccines that produce lifelong immunity can prevent virus infections.
Reply:Is a virus alive? YES AND NO


Yes - They reproduce which is a definite form of organization. True, they can not do it on their own, yet all living systems are open systems and depend upon their environment for survival. It is just that the environment a virus requires is another living cell. This is actually true for many symbiotic and parasitic cells.


No - A virus is not a living machine . It is only part of a machine, namely the blueprints. The virus only provides the plans, the cell has done the real living work. Outside of its host the virus shows no living qualities.


Of this major scheme, the virus only provides the DNA or the m-RNA (the blue prints) while the living cell has to provide the living factory (energy, enzymes, ribosomes, amino acids, nucleic acids, etc.)
Reply:they MAY BE a living organism if and only if they have a HOST. you know, they need living cells to survive -- obtain nutrients from them and others. (others live by infecting a bacteria... and that's called, bacteriophage.)





that's why we are susceptible to viral infections like flu, HIV, SARS and others because we are composed of living cells.





you may also want to browse wikipedia and other bio books in your library about viruses, if you wanna know more. :)
Reply:A virus is an organism. It can live or be dead!
Reply:Viruses have the "potential" to be a living organism. Similar to dry beans in your kitchen cupboard, they show no life sign unless they are placed in a suitable environment.


In case of viruses, a suitable environment is the host cell, in case of beans it is the wet soil.