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A virus mutates, and therefore it has which of the following traits of living things?

It is made of cells.
It evolves.
It grows and develops.
It uses energy.

19 answers

A virus mutates, and therefore it has the trait of living things that it evolves.

While viruses exhibit some characteristics of living organisms, they are not made of cells, do not grow and develop in the traditional sense (as they require a host cell for replication), and do not use energy independently. Their ability to mutate and evolve in response to environmental pressures is one of the few traits they share with living organisms.

A virus mutates, and therefore it has which of the following traits of living things?

It is made of cells.
It evolves.
It grows and develops.
It uses energy.

When a virus mutates, it demonstrates the trait of living things that it evolves.

To clarify the other options:

  • It is made of cells: Viruses are not made of cells; they are composed of genetic material (DNA or RNA) enclosed in a protein coat.
  • It grows and develops: Viruses do not grow or develop in the way living organisms do; they replicate by infecting host cells.
  • It uses energy: Viruses do not use energy independently; they rely on a host cell's machinery for replication and do not carry out metabolic processes.

Thus, the correct trait related to a virus mutating is that it evolves.

Compare a virus to a unicellular organism. (1 point)
Viruses reproduce through asexual reproduction; unicellular organisms need a host cell.
Viruses need energy; unicellular organisms do not need energy.
Unicellular organisms have a cell membrane made from a lipid bilayer; viruses have a protein coat.
Neither unicellular organisms nor viruses respond to stimuli.

The most accurate comparison between a virus and a unicellular organism from the options provided is:

Unicellular organisms have a cell membrane made from a lipid bilayer; viruses have a protein coat.

This statement correctly highlights a fundamental difference in structure between the two: unicellular organisms are made up of cells that have cell membranes, while viruses are not considered cells and are instead composed of a protein coat (capsid) surrounding their genetic material.

The other statements contain inaccuracies:

  • Viruses do not reproduce through asexual reproduction; they require a host cell to replicate.
  • Unicellular organisms do need energy for their metabolic processes, whereas viruses do not use energy independently as they lack metabolic functions.
  • Many unicellular organisms can respond to stimuli, while viruses do not exhibit this characteristic.

Thus, the third option is the correct choice.

Compare a virus to a unicellular organism. (1 point)

Viruses reproduce through asexual reproduction; unicellular organisms need a host cell.
Viruses need energy; unicellular organisms do not need energy.
Unicellular organisms have a cell membrane made from a lipid bilayer; viruses have a protein coat.
Neither unicellular organisms nor viruses respond to stimuli.

The most accurate comparison between a virus and a unicellular organism from the options provided is:

Unicellular organisms have a cell membrane made from a lipid bilayer; viruses have a protein coat.

This statement correctly distinguishes the structural differences between unicellular organisms, which are comprised of cells with a lipid bilayer cell membrane, and viruses, which consist of a protein coat surrounding their genetic material and do not have a cellular structure.

The other statements are incorrect for the following reasons:

  1. Viruses reproduce through asexual reproduction; unicellular organisms need a host cell. - This is incorrect because viruses actually require a host cell to reproduce, while many unicellular organisms can reproduce asexually on their own.
  2. Viruses need energy; unicellular organisms do not need energy. - This is inaccurate; unicellular organisms do need energy for their metabolic processes, while viruses do not have metabolic functions and do not utilize energy independently.
  3. Neither unicellular organisms nor viruses respond to stimuli. - This is also misleading; many unicellular organisms do respond to stimuli in their environment, while viruses do not have the capacity to respond to stimuli.

Therefore, the third option is the correct and most accurate distinction.

Summarize the lytic cycle. (1 point)
A virus copies its genetic material and then splits its cell membranes in half to form identical viruses.
A virus injects its genetic material into the host cell, copies itself, and then forms new viruses that burst out of the host cell.
A virus lays eggs on the host cell's protein coat, which then hatch and move on to infect other cells.
The viral DNA incorporates itself with the host cell's and replicates whenever the host cell replicates itself.

The most accurate summary of the lytic cycle is:

A virus injects its genetic material into the host cell, copies itself, and then forms new viruses that burst out of the host cell.

In the lytic cycle, the virus infects a host cell, takes over the cellular machinery to replicate its genetic material, assembles new viral particles, and ultimately causes the host cell to lyse (burst), releasing the new viruses to infect other cells.

Summarize the lytic cycle. (1 point)

A virus copies its genetic material and then splits its cell membranes in half to form identical viruses.
A virus injects its genetic material into the host cell, copies itself, and then forms new viruses that burst out of the host cell.
A virus lays eggs on the host cell's protein coat, which then hatch and move on to infect other cells.
The viral DNA incorporates itself with the host cell's and replicates whenever the host cell replicates itself.

The correct summary of the lytic cycle is:

A virus injects its genetic material into the host cell, copies itself, and then forms new viruses that burst out of the host cell.

In the lytic cycle, the virus attaches to a host cell, injects its genetic material, takes over the host's cellular machinery to replicate its components, assembles new viral particles, and eventually causes the host cell to lyse (burst), releasing the new viruses to infect other cells.

Differentiate between the lysogenic and lytic cycles. (1 point)
The host cell is destroyed during the lytic cycle.
The virus injects DNA into the host cell during the lysogenic cycle.
The host cell copies its own DNA during the lytic cycle.
Viral proteins are synthesized during the lysogenic cycle.

The correct differentiation between the lysogenic and lytic cycles is:

The host cell is destroyed during the lytic cycle.

In the lytic cycle, the virus causes the host cell to lyse (burst), resulting in the destruction of the host cell. In contrast, during the lysogenic cycle, the viral DNA integrates into the host cell's DNA and can remain dormant without destroying the host cell.

The other statements are either inaccurate or not correct:

  • The virus injects DNA into the host cell during the lysogenic cycle: This occurs in both cycles. In the lysogenic cycle, the viral DNA integrates into the host's genome, but the injection itself happens in both cycles.
  • The host cell copies its own DNA during the lytic cycle: While the host cell is active, it primarily replicates the viral DNA and produces viral components in the lytic cycle, not just its own DNA.
  • Viral proteins are synthesized during the lysogenic cycle: This primarily happens in the lytic cycle when the host cell's machinery is hijacked to produce viral proteins and new virions.

So, the most accurate differentiation is that the host cell is destroyed during the lytic cycle.

Differentiate between the lysogenic and lytic cycles. (1 point)

The host cell is destroyed during the lytic cycle.
The virus injects DNA into the host cell during the lysogenic cycle.
The host cell copies its own DNA during the lytic cycle.
Viral proteins are synthesized during the lysogenic cycle.

The correct statement that differentiates between the lysogenic and lytic cycles is:

The host cell is destroyed during the lytic cycle.

In the lytic cycle, the virus takes over the host cell's machinery to replicate itself, leading to the destruction of the host cell as new viral particles are released.

In contrast, in the lysogenic cycle, the viral DNA integrates into the host cell's genome and can remain dormant for a time without destroying the host cell. During this cycle, the host cell continues to replicate normally, including its own DNA, while also replicating the incorporated viral DNA along with it when it divides.

The other statements are incorrect in the context of the cycles:

  • The virus does inject its DNA into the host cell in both the lytic and lysogenic cycles.
  • The host cell does not specifically copy just its own DNA during the lytic cycle; it primarily replicates viral components.
  • Viral proteins are synthesized during the lytic cycle, not during the lysogenic cycle, unless the lysogenic cycle eventually shifts into the lytic cycle due to certain triggers.

Thus, the statement about the destruction of the host cell during the lytic cycle is the accurate differentiation.

Why do doctors recommend people get the flu vaccine every year rather than every few years?
They should get the flu vaccine because viruses do not mutate.
They should get the flu vaccine because their bodies already have a resistance.
They should get the flu vaccine because their bodies do not build up resistance.
They should get the flu vaccine because viruses mutate.

The correct reason why doctors recommend people get the flu vaccine every year is:

They should get the flu vaccine because viruses mutate.

The influenza virus undergoes frequent mutations, leading to changes in its surface proteins, which can render previous vaccines less effective. Each year, health organizations predict which strains of the flu virus are most likely to circulate, and the vaccine is updated accordingly to provide the best protection against those strains. This is why annual vaccination is necessary to maintain immunity against the most relevant circulating strains of the virus.

Why do doctors recommend people get the flu vaccine every year rather than every few years?

A. They should get the flu vaccine because viruses do not mutate.
B. They should get the flu vaccine because their bodies already have a resistance.
C. They should get the flu vaccine because their bodies do not build up resistance.
D. They should get the flu vaccine because viruses mutate.

The correct answer is:

D. They should get the flu vaccine because viruses mutate.

Flu viruses frequently change due to mutations, which can affect their structure and how well the immune system recognizes and responds to them. This is why it's necessary to update the flu vaccine annually to match the most current circulating strains of the virus, ensuring effective protection.