Exception to Characteristics of Life.

[thank.darwin]

What are DNA sequencers? (I'm only in my first year of biology -we haven't gone over anything like that)

[RobJim]

DNA sequencers are machines that read DNA and then report to scientists what the sequence of bases is in the DNA.

They do not replicate themselves; nor are they alive. What they do is replicate strands of DNA that are in the machine in order to read it.

Take a look at this website:

http://infohost.nmt.edu/~biology/sequencer.htm

[thank.darwin]

Thank-you RobJim, that helped a lot!

[Moff231Dawrin]

DNA sequencers sound like they're a special type of protein. if so, then wouldn't they have at least some DNa or RNA, because I thought proteins were made from ammino acids?

[mith]

Read the info at the link and the posting itself. Both will tell you the sequencer is machine.

[Moff231Dawrin]

oops. my bad. I was thinking about helicases.

[MrMistery]

The viruses have been up for debate for a long time: nobody was able to determin if they are alive or not, so in the present they are called infectious entities. It is also true that viruses can contain DNA or RNA but they do not have their own methabolism nor are they capable of reproduction. But think of it: are viruses more alive than the printer or the computer monitor? Of course they are. Also, they are less alive than a bird or a toad. So, my personal opinion is that if you look at life as angradual state then both viruses and prions(which, from what i know do not contain DNA or RNA) can be alive, but at different levels. This is how i see this problem. I don't know if anyone understands anything from what I just wrote, I hope yes.

By the way, someone mentioned red blood cells. You first have to consider that red blood cells have a nucleus at all animals except mamals. But, i consider them as being part of life and not life itself. If a cell is alive than can you consider the mithocondrion inside it alive(maybe it's not the best example since it is a known fact that mithocondrion are primitive bacteria which have come into symbiothis with the cell a long long time ago- anyway, you see my point)

[Lee]

virus i think

[RobJim]

I believe that viruses are not considered alive, as they don't fit the definition of life.

[Poison]

yes RobJim thats right. We discussed this so far.

[Dr.Doom]

Viruses do have genetic material (ssRNA, ssDNA ...etc). Prions are proteins; they do multiple through protein-protein. All other animate objects have genetic material (yes even fungus); therefore, the cloest thing may be a prion, but i don't know if you can consider that as an animate object.

[thank.darwin]

Right Dr.Doom...