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Viruses are not an organism at all. They are nonliving. They are like cockle burrs that "grab" hold of your clothing or a dog's coat. They are hijackers. Once they get attached to the cell of a living cell, they can take it over and "make" the living cell produce virus particles instead of cell parts. These particles can assemble into more viruses and then they break out of the cell (killing it) and begin the process again. They cannot make more viruses on their own.
What else can I help you with?
What type of cell are viruses?
None. Viruses are acellular. Many biologists do not consider viruses to be living things in part because they are acellular. Look at any phylogeny (tree of life). Viruses are not on them.
What are larger than viruses?
Bacteria, fungi, and parasites are larger than viruses. They are all types of microorganisms that can cause infections in humans and other living organisms.
What organisms do not grow or show any nutritional patterns and have no observable activity except replication which can be accomplished in the cytoplasm of a living cell?
Viruses exhibit the characteristics described. They are not considered living organisms because they cannot carry out metabolic activities on their own and rely on host cells to replicate and multiply.
Are bacteria and viruses living things?
Virioids and Viruses are 'psuedo-living' entities, and cannot truly be called 'living creatures'. To be classified as 'alive', an organism needs to meet several criteria, like the ability to respond to stimuli, grow, develop, reproduce, etc. The only one of these characteristic viruses, viroids and prions share with living creatures, is the ability to repoduce. They are self-replicating pieces of DNA or RNA, sometimes covered with a coat of proteins, and do not show any other characteristics of being a living creature.
What is a difference between bacteria and viruses that shows that bacteria are living organims and viruses are not?
Bacteria metabolize ingested nutrients. Viruses do not do this. Bacteria reproduce by fusion. A virus needs a host to reproduce. Bacteria exchange gases with the environment. A virus does do this. A bacteria is motile in many cases. Flagella. Viruses must depend on the current in solution. As you see viruses do not have any of the markers of living organisms, but some biologists do not fully agree that viruses are not a sort of living organism.
What phylum is the Hepatitis B virus in?
It is not in any phylum. Viruses are not living organisms, so they do not fit in the classification system we have for living creatures.
Are viruses multi-cellular?
No. In fact they are not living and not even made of cells
Is it true that the only way in which viruses are like organisms is that they have a nucleus?
Since viruses are not living, they do not have any organelles like a nucleus. They do have RNA or DNA but neither is in a nucleus.
Are there any beneficial viruses that can have a positive impact on living organisms or the environment?
Yes, there are beneficial viruses known as bacteriophages that can help control harmful bacteria in the environment and in living organisms. Bacteriophages are viruses that specifically infect and kill bacteria, which can be used in medicine, agriculture, and environmental cleanup.
Why can't viruses replicate through mitosis?
Viruses do not have cells or any of the mechanisms to replicate any of their components. Because of this, the virus must hijack the mechanisms of a living cell in order to make copies of itself.
Do the non living things also show movement?
They differ in the method of movement. While living things move by using energy, nonliving things move by water, wind, or any other methods of transportation. Nonliving things cannot utilize energy to move.
What kingdom are viruses classified in?
Viruses do not belong to any kingdom. There is an ongoing debate to whether viruses are alive or not. With the facts given, it is up to you to decide if viruses are alive or not. All Living things: -are composed of cells with a complex, organized structure -actively maintain their complex structure and internal environment (homeostasis) -respond to stimuli in their environment -acquire and use materials and energy from their environment and convert them into new forms -reproduce, using the molecular blueprint of DNA -have the capacity to evolve Viruses: -are not made of cells and do not have cells -cannot accomplish the basic tasks of living cells -have no ribosomes to make protein -have no cytoplasm -cannot acquire energy or steal the host's energy -cannot grow or reproduce by themselves or with other viruses -do not respond to stimuli -cannot maintain a stable internal environment -can evolve
