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Virus-Living or Non-Living?

   

Added on  2019-09-21

4 Pages731 Words366 Views
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ESSAY PLANViruses are small sized agent, infectious in nature. The essay aims towards providing some insight on the viruses being a living as well as non-living organisms. The Introduction defines the term virus and also gives its meaning. The essay then presents the various characteristics of life which define the living organisms separating them from non-living. The essay is then followed by giving further explanation on virus by explaining them thoroughly. This is followed by the factors that define viruses as non-living things and finally various factors that the viruses making them a living organisms.In the end, the whole study has been summed up in the conclusion.
Virus-Living or Non-Living?_1

Virus-Living or non-living?IntroductionVirus is a small sized infectious agent and has a simple composition, deriving its name from a Latin word for “poison”. The viruses can only multiply with an association of a host cell. (Villarreal, L, 2004)DiscussionThere are some characteristics that divide living organisms from non-living organisms. Some of these are as followed:1.Cellular organization: The living things are composed of cells and have an assembly of systematically arranged organs. In unicellular organisms, a single cell is self-sufficient to perform all the necessary functions whereas in multicellular the cells are arranged to formorgans, tissues etc. 2.Reproduction: The living things have the ability to reproduce their progeny and is a vital process for the organisms to survive. The living organisms have genetic material stored intheir reproductive cells so as to produce their progeny. (Forterre, P, 2010)3.Metabolism: The living things required energy to perform the necessary functions and fortheir maintenance and growth. Viruses:The viruses are considered as a parasite which are characterized as an organisms between life and inert matter. These have proteins, genetic material, nucleic acids and all the other vital components like a living organism but they require a host cell for them to replicate and multiply. However, they cannot synthesize proteins and depend solely on their host for performing all the life-sustaining functions. Furthermore they cannot derive energy on their own. Some of the most
Virus-Living or Non-Living?_2

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