Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 65 (9162 total)
2 online now:
Newest Member: popoi
Post Volume: Total: 915,807 Year: 3,064/9,624 Month: 909/1,588 Week: 92/223 Day: 3/17 Hour: 1/0


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   Origin of viruses
Kiddo
Junior Member (Idle past 4231 days)
Posts: 4
From: India
Joined: 08-10-2012


Message 16 of 24 (670866)
08-20-2012 12:15 PM


Is it also possible that viruses evolved from a more developed organism like bacteria/fungi...i.e., an advanced form of spores/similar forms which are meant just for the survival of the organism and nothing else.(I am unable to put it in proper words but i hope u understand.)I am saying this because as I understand viruses, they only exist to survive and increase their population.

Replies to this message:
 Message 19 by Drosophilla, posted 08-21-2012 5:37 PM Kiddo has replied

  
Kiddo
Junior Member (Idle past 4231 days)
Posts: 4
From: India
Joined: 08-10-2012


Message 17 of 24 (670869)
08-20-2012 12:27 PM
Reply to: Message 2 by Admin
08-18-2012 4:39 PM


I actually meant it as a question. I will be careful from the next time.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 2 by Admin, posted 08-18-2012 4:39 PM Admin has seen this message but not replied

  
Dr Adequate
Member (Idle past 284 days)
Posts: 16113
Joined: 07-20-2006


(1)
Message 18 of 24 (670871)
08-20-2012 12:39 PM
Reply to: Message 6 by foreveryoung
08-18-2012 11:20 PM


How is it magic if the personality that brought the laws of physics into existence and is the source of all energy is able to manipulate those laws and energies to his own ends?
Well, I take it that "magic" means the ability to over-ride the laws of nature by an act of will. Religious people for some reason prefer to use the word "miracle" when God does it, but this is a distinction without a difference.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 6 by foreveryoung, posted 08-18-2012 11:20 PM foreveryoung has not replied

  
Drosophilla
Member (Idle past 3641 days)
Posts: 172
From: Doncaster, yorkshire, UK
Joined: 08-25-2009


Message 19 of 24 (671029)
08-21-2012 5:37 PM
Reply to: Message 16 by Kiddo
08-20-2012 12:15 PM


Origin of viruses
Hi Kiddo,
I am saying this because as I understand viruses, they only exist to survive and increase their population.
And how is this different to the reason for existence of any life form? Plants, fungi, bacteria, animals - they all exist to survive and propagate their species.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 16 by Kiddo, posted 08-20-2012 12:15 PM Kiddo has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 20 by Kiddo, posted 08-22-2012 9:20 PM Drosophilla has replied

  
Kiddo
Junior Member (Idle past 4231 days)
Posts: 4
From: India
Joined: 08-10-2012


Message 20 of 24 (671190)
08-22-2012 9:20 PM
Reply to: Message 19 by Drosophilla
08-21-2012 5:37 PM


all other organisms tend to increase their functionality/complexity , like secreting enzymes, developing protective coats around them, etc. But in case of viruses, they became more simpler and lost their functions rather than gaining new ones.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 19 by Drosophilla, posted 08-21-2012 5:37 PM Drosophilla has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 21 by Drosophilla, posted 08-23-2012 7:39 AM Kiddo has not replied
 Message 22 by Dr Jack, posted 08-23-2012 11:15 AM Kiddo has not replied
 Message 23 by New Cat's Eye, posted 08-23-2012 11:48 AM Kiddo has not replied

  
Drosophilla
Member (Idle past 3641 days)
Posts: 172
From: Doncaster, yorkshire, UK
Joined: 08-25-2009


Message 21 of 24 (671208)
08-23-2012 7:39 AM
Reply to: Message 20 by Kiddo
08-22-2012 9:20 PM


all other organisms tend to increase their functionality/complexity , like secreting enzymes, developing protective coats around them, etc. But in case of viruses, they became more simpler and lost their functions rather than gaining new ones.
But regardless of complexity of operation, all lifeforms have the basic function to make more copies of themselves. Unless you can think of another reason why a mushroom pops up out of the ground.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 20 by Kiddo, posted 08-22-2012 9:20 PM Kiddo has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 24 by caffeine, posted 08-24-2012 4:17 AM Drosophilla has not replied

  
Dr Jack
Member
Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.7


Message 22 of 24 (671226)
08-23-2012 11:15 AM
Reply to: Message 20 by Kiddo
08-22-2012 9:20 PM


all other organisms tend to increase their functionality/complexity , like secreting enzymes, developing protective coats around them, etc. But in case of viruses, they became more simpler and lost their functions rather than gaining new ones.
Viruses are developing new functions all the time. They're extremely refined replicators with some of the most remarkable adaptations.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 20 by Kiddo, posted 08-22-2012 9:20 PM Kiddo has not replied

  
New Cat's Eye
Inactive Member


Message 23 of 24 (671230)
08-23-2012 11:48 AM
Reply to: Message 20 by Kiddo
08-22-2012 9:20 PM


all other organisms tend to increase their functionality/complexity , like secreting enzymes, developing protective coats around them, etc. But in case of viruses, they became more simpler and lost their functions rather than gaining new ones.
Well, it really all depends on the environment. There does seem to be a tendancy towards complexity, but this is due to available niches in the environment allowing for it. If the environment exhibits pressure towards simplicity, then that will happen too. For example, fish in caves that lost their eyes:
Presumably, the same goes for viruses.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 20 by Kiddo, posted 08-22-2012 9:20 PM Kiddo has not replied

  
caffeine
Member (Idle past 1024 days)
Posts: 1800
From: Prague, Czech Republic
Joined: 10-22-2008


Message 24 of 24 (671283)
08-24-2012 4:17 AM
Reply to: Message 21 by Drosophilla
08-23-2012 7:39 AM


But regardless of complexity of operation, all lifeforms have the basic function to make more copies of themselves. Unless you can think of another reason why a mushroom pops up out of the ground.
I think the suggestion is that viruses could be descended from cellular life, which found a parasitic niche that allowed them to do away with the cellular mechanisms that they could steal from their hosts.
The famous experiment by Sol Spiegelman, in which he supplied a simple virus with everything it needed to replicate itself for free, and then watched it's genome shrink to a tiny fraction of its previous size, could be an elaboration of the original process by which the first viruses evolved from prokaryotic ancestors.
This is all just guessing, though.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 21 by Drosophilla, posted 08-23-2012 7:39 AM Drosophilla has not replied

  
Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024