Genetics: Analysis and Principles
Genetics: Analysis and Principles
5th Edition
ISBN: 9780073525341
Author: Robert J. Brooker Professor Dr.
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
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Chapter 17, Problem 1CONQ

Discuss why viruses are considered nonliving.

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Summary Introduction

To review:

The viruses that are considered as non-living.

Introduction:

The organisms that cannot reproduce, move, breathe, and grow are called non-living organisms whereas, living organisms are the organisms that can grow, develop, stimulate towards environment, reproduce, and are able to move.

Explanation of Solution

Viruses are tiny infectious agents that are able to replicate only when, they are present inside the cell of a living organism. They are able to cause infections in every type of living form like, animals, microorganisms, bacteria, plants and also include archaebacteria. They are a different type of organism that is not formed up of living cells.

Viruses consist of lipid envelope, protein capsids, and nucleic acid genome. They are not considered as living organisms because they are able to multiply only when they are inside the living cell. Outside the living cell, they are non-impactful and non-living. They cannot survive outside the cell. They lack the properties of living organisms like, energy, metabolism, waste productions, growth and development and independent reproduction.

Conclusion

Therefore, it can be concluded that viruses are considered as non-living because they cannot move, replicate, grow and develop in the absence of a living cell.

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Viruses are made up of the same biomolecules as cellular organisms (DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids, etc.), which are synthesized through enzymatic dehydration reactions from building blocks and disassembled by enzymatic hydrolysis. They infect cells and replicate themselves using resources from the host cells. Scientists discovered a previously unknown strain of virus in the tropical Pacific Ocean and it can infect higher-order eukaryotes. Initial analysis revealed that the virus is mainly composed of nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids. Chemical analysis after complete hydrolysis revealed the following building blocks (by weight): Chemical components Nucleosides Amino acids Lipids, phosphates, and carbohydrates Percentage by weight 20 30 50 Analysis of percentages of nucleosides yielded the following results (by molar ratio): Nucleosides A G T C U Percentage by mole 19 29 19 29 4 Which of the following events mostly involves hydrolysis reaction after the virus infects…
As a general rule, viruses are not considered to be alive based on several reasons. One such reason is that some viruses use RNA as their genetic material instead of DNA. Which of the five biological themes does this violate? Briefly explain why.
Are viruses living or dead? Discuss this question by applying your knowledge of viruses and their life cycles.

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Genetics: Analysis and Principles

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What Is A Virus ? ; Author: Peekaboo Kidz;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS7vsBgWszI;License: Standard YouTube License, CC-BY