Question

Organise a discussion in your class on the topic- Are viruses living or non-living?

Answer 1

Viruses are considered intermediaries between non-living substances and living organisms. It is quite difficult to determine if they are living or nonliving. Some virus traits imply a non-living nature, while others imply a living nature.

They resemble non-living objects in:

1. Lacking protoplast.
2. Ability to get crystallised.
3. Inability to live independently of living cell.
4. High specific gravity, which is found only in non-living objects.
5. Absence of respiration.
6. Absence of energy storing system.
7. Absence of growth and division.
8. Instead, different parts are synthesised separately.

Viruses resemble living beings in –

1. Being formed of organic macromolecules, which occur only in living beings.
2. Presence of genetic material.
3. Ability to multiply or reproduce, although only inside living cell.
4. Occurrence of mutations.
5. The occurrence of enzyme transcriptase in most viruses.
6. Some viruses, like the Pox virus, contain vitamins like riboflavin and biotin.
7. Infectivity and host specificity.
8. Viruses are ‘killed’ by autoclaving and ultraviolet rays.
9. They breed true to their type. Even variations are inheritable.
10. They take over the biosynthetic machinery of the host cell and produce the chemicals required for their multiplication.
11. Viruses are responsible for a number of infectious’ diseases like the common cold, epidemic influenza, and chicken pox.