Virus evolution?

Question

If Viruses evolve so fast, why are they still viruses? I mean, how come we don't see them evolving into some other kind of animal?

Please, don't attack me for being dumb. I already understand that to be true. Just give me an answer. Thanks guys and girls!

Wow, now I'm even more confused!

I thought the point of evolution was to evolve into something else. I mean, Fish-->Monkey-->Man type stuff. So if a virus is stuck being a virus, how is it that dinosaurs evolved into birds? Or is that apples and oranges?

Ok, the mechanism by which evolution is able to change one species into another is random mutations. Is this right? So, if the mutations are random, why cant a virus evolve an ability to survive outside of a host cell? I mean, Ive heard that creatures that lived under water evolved into creatures that can breathe air.

Also, do I understand it right that we don't know what viruses evolved from?

Answer 1

This is actually a good question, and the fact that you thought your way to it is nice.

In terms of viral evolution, first think of the big picture. Virii didn't come first, but as can be deduced from their lack of cellular functions, are actually derivative of something else. In that sense, virii could be viewed as evolved as their targets are.

And in the sense that the "goal" or "purpose" of any organism is to make more of itself, the virus is already perfectly suited to this, and very effective at it. (until you get developed enough mentally, like us, then you can also make art or yahoo questions or what have you).

Now for the small picture. Viral replication can be very sloppy. Some viral genetic material is stored as RNA, which is less stable than DNA and more prone to mutations. (Funny that organisms ended up with DNA as their genetic material and not RNA). The inherint "sloppyness" in replication allows for a high rate of mutations. This can be viewed as their rapid evolution. Which is why you can get the flu every year, or a bazillion colds (there are also lots of different virii that can cause colds, but old ones can mutate and infect you again).

Now on a practical side, bacterial genomics has given us some examples of virii that have managed to become stable, non-destructive parts of bacterial genomes, thus ensuring their replication and not destroying the host in the process (see sources for an example). This of course isn't evolution like what you're talking about, but it is a virus that at some point in history made the jump from some nucleic acid that hijacked a host in order to replicate, to a stable aspect of that organism.

Answer 2

The only point of evolution is to survive. Evolution is not "purpose driven". Viruses have a pretty effective "strategy": get into a cell, reproduce, and find a new cell. So long as there are cells, they're good to go. Mind you cells change things up to make it harder for the viruses to get into the cells. We do not have tissue types to prevent transplantation -- we have varied our cell surfaces so viruses can't lock on to the same protein to get into the cell. That how viruses evolve, and drive other creatures' evolution.

Answer 3

For small changes, (ie resistance to drugs) evolution doesn't take that long since viruses reproduce so fast. But for them to become a different species, it takes thousands of years, even for a virus. So the viruses of today will most likely become different someday. But you have to remember that evolution allows a species to evolve based on their environment. Fish into amphibians works when the environment is the oceans and land. Since viruses live inside humans, their environment is pretty restrictive. So they will mostly likely not change a whole lot.

Answer 4

Viruses aren't animals, they aren't really alive in the strictest sense. They are just chunks of genetic material in the bare minimum of covering. They don't eat or use energy and they can't reproduce on their own. They are not simple living things, they are just very complicated self replicating chemistry. Their makeup puts a low ceiling on the way they can evolve.

Viruses are limited because their genetic material only hijacks living cells inner machinery to make more of themselves. They aren't self replicating outside a living cell.

Their genes only affect the kinds of cells they can infect and what they do once they infect them. To evolve independence from cells would require a huge systematic rewrite of their genes that would be beyond the realm of possibilities afforded them by mutation.

Evolution has no direction. It is not a progression from simple to complex. The only objective is the survival and continuance of the genes.

Answer 5

You're not being dumb. You're being smart... good catch. I've seen more and more questions like this... more evidence misprooving evolution. They didn't evolve. Nothing evolved.
Well, I'd like you to see this report that I used to answer another question (against evolution):

1.) Darwin verse Bible

Darwin - "All the species in the world descended from 4 or 5 ancestors in to whcih life was breathesd" So does that mean there was only 8 or 10 animals on Noahs large, large, LARGE, boat???? (two of each?)

2.) Vestigial Organs - (Darwin!!! Can't you just keep things simple?!)
Vestigial organs, according to Darwin, are organs that loose their function over time. So if animals and plants have vestigial organs, there would be NO life on Earh!!! But that's not true! (there is life on earth) This is due to a logical principle called IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY - the principle states that if one organ is removed or looses its function (like a vestige), the systems neccessary for life will not function, hence there would noe be any life.
Darwin says that the wings of a flightless bird are vestiges. If that's so, all birds today would be able to fly! (contradiction here!!!) Darwin, did it ever occur to that the wings of a flightless birds cannot carry such a heavy bird??! (ostrich, kiwi, chicken)

3.) Where is the evolution now? Can't find it anywhere.. not even in FOSSILS.
There are fossils of animals and plants that still exist today. Is there any sign of change? No! That falsifies Evolution!

4.) The Finch beaks? They change? Darwin, can't you just keep things simple??!!!
Darwin says that the Finch beaks adapted to eat their prey. Did it every occur to Darwin that they are all different species, hence allowing for different appearances?!
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Answer 6

When people say virus evolve fast, it means that it has the ability to change itself pretty quickly to prevent itself from being targeted by drugs, or by immune cells. It does not have the capability to becoming another species.

Answer 7

nicely, as you will locate, the respond is they "mutate" yet do no longer "evolve". This incredibly begs the question as to what the version is. They the two contain organisms giving upward thrust to organisms with novel charactersitics and those novel charactersitics forming area of the characteristics surpassed onto destiny generations. The argument I even have study is that the mutational changes are no longer adequate to offer a sparkling type of organism. and what's "type"? "Its nevertheless a virulent disease" is amazingly genuine, yet then an "ape" continues to be an "ape" - the creationist argument hasn't shown that Chimpanzees, Orangutans and Gorillas could no longer all have "mutated" from an common ancestor. And by capacity of extension they have not shown that we've not "mutated" from that comparable ancestor. in case you draw the "mutation" boundary extensive adequate and all existence could have "mutated" from the comparable primeaval sludge. the genuine answer is that the version is in basic terms linguistic. they do in comparison to evolution yet, with the mutations of micro-organisms, evolution is held up in front of their face. so as that they alter the call.

Answer 8

Viruses evolve into better viruses. Also, they're not animals. Heck, they're not really alive.

Answer 9

i don't think evolve there did not mean like that... they evolve in the way that viruses migrate from place to place, they get stronger and they can some how fight and resist the the ones counteracting to them when they get in to bodies... they have evolved in that the become immune to their opponents..