We study so much about viruses, and yet there is one very much unsolved mystery, that is where do these viruses come from? In other words, their origin. There are three very popular theories about this.
Let us start with the regressive theory. It is said that viruses were once parasites, as they were today. Overtime however, genes into required by their parasitism were lost. This is also known as the degeneracy theory. This is very possible, since viruses cannot reproduce without a host.
Next up is the cellular origin theory. This theory states that viruses could have evloved from stray pieces of RNA or DNA, perhaps even plasimds (DNA that moevs between cells, also known as jumping genes). Overtime, they could have developed their capsids and envelopes.
Last but not least, we have the coevolution theory, which states that viruse evolved overtime from pieces of genome and protein.
Personally, I would choose to believe the regressive theory, seeing as how viruses may have been weaken by their activities as parasites. On a side note, this is also an interesting lesson to us. If we depend too much on others, one day, we will be weaken and unable to stand independantly.
This is just my opinion, but how about you? Which theory do you believe in most?
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