10 Surprising Things About Viruses
There is no question that viruses are the most interesting yet baffling microorganisms known to man. Most organisms, for example, are categorized either as prokaryotes or eukaryotes. The main difference is that prokaryotes have no nucleus in the cells while eukaryotes do. The theory is that prokaryotes were the first organisms to arrive, develop or be created on planet earth.
As time went by, microorganisms evolved into more complex, larger organisms. Those first single-cell microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, unicellular algae & fungi, etc.), after acquiring a nucleus and tiny organelles, somehow connected with other single-cell creatures or developed the ability to grow additional differentiated cells--thus did, in theory, multicellular animals come into existence.
The existence of protozoa, algae and fungi support this theory. Most probably not having a nucleus when they first arrived on earth, these creatures supposedly eventually developed a nucleus, thus evolving into "eukaryotes." It's creatures like these that show a "bridge" between the two categories of species.
As most other things which seek to provide a neat, logical explanation for rather complex systems, this theory of evolution, though, still poses many unanswered questions or mysteries. Not really fitting either under "prokaryotes" or "eukaryotes," the existence of viruses presents one such problem or enigma.
Simply put, viruses are not like other microorganisms and in some ways flout or challenge conventional origin-of-life theories. To prove it, here are some peculiar characteristics about viruses which defy both laws of biology and of logic:
1. Unlike other living organisms, viruses have either DNA or RNA in their genetic makeup, but not both. Because of this, some experts assert that viruses aren't really "alive" but rather merely pieces of floating genetic material that somehow thrive in spite of ridiculous odds against them.
2. Viruses need a host body or cell in order to replicate (and, in theory, survive as a species). Most other living organisms we know of (with the exception of most parasites) can survive on their own. This, of course, doesn't negate the importance of symbiosis, but that goes without saying.
3. Viruses are ridiculously small. Bacteria and other single-cell organisms in general can be seen with the aid of microscopes--though some require the maximum magnification available. Viruses, on the other hand, generally can only be seen with electron microscopes; they can also only be identified and studied by trained experts.
4. Viruses are capable of changing their own genetic makeup. Of course, all living organisms can, in theory, evolve but they also maintain basically the same genome. Viruses, however, as they replicate inside invaded cells, can mutate, sometimes drastically; they can also alter cells they inhabit by splicing themselves into their genes. These are reasons why it's so difficult to cure or treat viral diseases.
5. Viruses don't necessarily cause disease. Unfortunately, most people think of "disease" when they hear "virus," but the reality is that most viruses don't cause disease and some are even beneficial to man or exist in a symbiotic relationship (e.g., the many viruses in our gut).
6. Viruses may be responsible for many more diseases than they have been connected to thus far. For example, some people theorize that a virus may be responsible for or can contribute to the development of cancer (actually, this has supposedly been proven to be true for some cancers), diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc. Establishing this is difficult because viruses hide inside cells, mutate easily and are difficult to detect.
7. Many viruses have yet to be discovered and classified. Some people theorize that we have only identified a tiny fraction of all the viruses in the world; for example, thousands such examples may reside in the oceans and in places other microorganisms wouldn't survive in.
8. As has been mentioned, viruses aren't really "alive." They, in fact, reside in a gray world between the living and the dead. This begs the question: "How do we kill something that wasn't alive to begin with?" Or maybe it's just that they challenge conventional definitions for the word "alive?"
9. Viruses can become permanent genetic fixtures inside the hosts they invade. As such, viruses can change, harm or cause mutations in animals, microorganisms and people they infect; what these changes can bring about, though, can either be minor or, literally, "life changing."
10. Viruses, because they are so simple (genetically speaking) can, in theory, be created using present human technology. There are some experts, for example, who think that the AIDS virus (HIV) was created or tampered with in a lab; essentially the same theories have been proposed about the Zika virus.
Conclusion
While the experts may disagree about whether viruses are more a blessing than a threat to humanity, most of these same experts would be hard-pressed to deny that viruses are, as Mr. Spock from the Star Trek series would say, "Fascinating!"
Viruses will remain, whether for good or bad, much more arcane and mysterious than other microorganisms. This is because only a few laboratories and research facilities have either the equipment or the trained personnel to study them; additionally, as has been stated, there are probably many more viruses than have been categorized to date.
One thing we can say for sure is that viruses will most probably play a much bigger role in the future, most ostensively in healthcare settings, as well as in geo-politics, warfare and bio-terrorism. As such, their importance shouldn't be underestimated.
References & Resources
1. http://www.diffen.com/difference/Eukaryotic_Cell_vs_Prokaryotic_Cell
3. http://www.livescience.com/10023-viruses-cancer-previously-thought.html
4. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-viruses-alive-2004/
6. http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/0/21143412
7. http://study.com/academy/lesson/how-viruses-mutate-antigenic-drift-and-antigenic-shift.html
