Surely you've heard that virus are not living beings, are they? This is even one of the reasons why some authors justify the fact that these organisms are not classified in any of the famous five kingdoms of Whittaker.
Despite this, viruses have some characteristics of living beings. Some researchers, however, say that these organisms have a “borrowed life” or that they are proof of how a non-living being came to be alive. So, after all, viruses are or are not alive?
→ Alive or lifeless?
One of the most striking characteristics of viruses is the fact that these organisms do not have cells. The presence of this structure is essential to classify a being as living according to the Cell Theory. It is for this reason that many authors claim that viruses are not living things.
Furthermore, another peculiar characteristic, which makes many consider viruses as lifeless beings, is the absence of a metabolism.In view of this fact, viruses can only reproduce within a cell, being considered obligate intracellular parasites. It is noteworthy that mimiviruses have the ability to produce certain proteins, products that were previously considered a characteristic of cell genomes.
Viruses also have some characteristics common to living beings, such as the presence of genetic material and the ability to evolve. O genetic material has important information that determines the characteristics of an organism.
THE ability to evolve, in turn, concerns the changes that viruses undergo over time. This can be clearly seen when we talk about flu viruses, for example, which often undergo changes, thus showing us their ability to change.
Therefore, there are features that may support the idea that viruses are non-living organisms and also evidence to suggest that they are alive. That's why you'll likely find sources claiming viruses are living things and others claiming otherwise. The fact is that viruses are among us, whether they are alive or not, and they are well-adapted to live on our planet.
