Viruses are also microscopic, but they are not considered as micro-organism. They behave like non-living when outside host cell, and reproduce only when inside the host cell. you might know microbes only for causing harm to human beings by causing diseases and making us ill. But, the truth is microbes are also beneficial to us in a variety of ways. They help in preparation of several household & industrial products like curd, cake, bread, antibiotics & beverages. They also help the environment acting as decomposers and biofertilizers. They play an important in sewage treatment as well.
Characteristics of viruses
viruses do not show any characteristic of living things.Viruses do not have organised cell structure
Viruses do not respire, feed, grow, excrete, move on their own. Viruses can only reproduce if they enter in a living cell of other organism( host cell). When viruses enter into any living cell it starit behaving like a living thing by carrying out the process of reproduction. Outside the living cell dresses behave as non living thing. Due to all this reasons viruses are considered to be an intermediate form between the living and nonliving.
Structure of virus
Viruses do not have an organisation structure. Viruses are acellular i.e their body has no cellular substances or nucleus. Viruses consist of nuclear material coated with proteins. Viruses typically have one or two strands of DNA or RNA. The Genetic material of virus are covered with a protective coat of protein called as CAPSID.
How viruses grow or how viruses reproduce?
Viruses cannot reproduce by themselves.
The virus attaches itself to a specific host cell or the cell in which it can reproduce. After attaching to the host cell virus injects it’s nuclear material( DNA or RNA) inside the host cell. The nuclear material of virus attaches to the nuclear material of the host cell. The nucleic material of virus take the custody of the manufacturing system of the cell. The host cell ignore its own need and switches to making new viruses. The host cell sometimes destroyed in the process and many of the new viruses are released to infect other host cells.
Advantages of viruses
Even though viruses has lots of disadvantages but some viruses plays very important role in the ecosystem. For example the bacteriophages which are also called as bacterial virus please an important role in Marine Ecology and carbon cycling. Bacteriophages in the sewage has the ability to to kill harmful bacteria and keep the bacteria level in control. Scientist are trying to find out viruses which can be used to kill bacteria, and can be used instead of antibiotics.
Disadvantages of viruses
Viruses have many disadvantages as they are the agent of many diseases. Virus causes diseases too many animals and plants. Human diseases such as common cold, influenza, measles, chicken pox, smallpox are all caused by viruses. HIV or immunodeficiency virus causes AIDS in human beings and some animals.
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