This may seem like a

simple question ..
But is it?

WHAT is LIFE ?
 What is LIFE ?
Also, although the physical appearance of
living organisms can be very different,
their chemical make-up is very similar.
http://microbiologyonline.org/about-
microbiology/introducing-microbes/viruses

This is an electron micrograph

of T2 bacteriophage viruses
(orange) attacking
an Escherichia coli bacterium.

Interestingly, scientists do not

regard viruses as being ‘alive’,
but rather on the ‘brink of life’.

To understand this statement, we have to

take a closer look at what is regarded as the
features of living organisms.
 Also, there are levels of
organization of atoms,
molecules, etc. before we
get to a level of ‘life’. On
their own, atoms,
molecules and even
macromolecules are not
alive ..
 The properties of life only
appear when the atoms
and molecules are arranged
into cells!
 The properties of life only
appear when the atoms
and molecules are arranged
into cells!

A cell is therefore an organized

chemical system that includes
many specialized molecules
enclosed by a membrane. Thus,
it is the lowest level of biological
organization that live and
reproduce.
A cell is only alive when it
remains organized as a cell. If
a cell is damaged and broken
up into its components, it is
no longer alive. Thus, life is an
emergent property of the
organization of matter into
cells.

An emergent property is a
characteristic that depends on
the level of organization and
does not exist at lower levels.
 So then, what are the
characteristics of living organisms?
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
1. Living organisms contain chemical instructions that regulate their
structure and function.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the most fundamental
molecule that distinguishes living and non-living matter..

• A large, double stranded, helical molecule.

• Characterized by two chains winding around each other,

the so-called double helix. Each chain consists of
nucleotides (chemical building blocks).

• It carries the instructions for the assembling of living

organisms from simpler molecules.
 DNA functions similarly in ALL living organisms:
Genes (specific nucleotide sequences on the DNA) encode instructions to build RNA molecules and
proteins. The process through which this information is used to produce RNA molecules and proteins, is
known as gene expression. This is a two-step-process: firstly the genetic information of the gene is
copied into a messenger RNA molecule (transcription), where after the protein is assembled from this
RNA template (translation).

the flow
of genetic information within
a biological system.
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
2. Living organisms engage in metabolic activities.

Some genes code

for specific
molecules that play
a role in metabolic
activities.
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
2. Living organisms engage in metabolic activities.

Metabolism is the ability of cells /organisms to extract energy from

their surroundings and use the energy to grow, reproduce and maintain
itself/themselves.
 For example: Plants carry out
photosynthesis. During this process they
absorb electromagnetic energy from
sunlight and convert it into chemical
energy. Some of this energy is used to
produce required biological molecules, e.g.
cellulose, from the raw materials. The
remainder is stored in the form of sugars
and starch.
 Most organisms utilize
stored chemical energy
through the metabolic
process of cellular
respiration. During this
process, complex organic
molecules are broken down
(in the presence of oxygen)
to produce ATP.
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
3. Energy flows and matter cycles through living organisms.
 The energy Animals feed on
supplied by the the complex
sun, supports molecules
most life on produced by the
Earth. Plants, the plants and
primary therefore known
producers, as consumers.
convert this
energy into
chemical energy
in the form of
sugars.
 The energy Animals feed on
supplied by the the complex
sun, supports molecules
most life on produced by the
Earth. Plants, the plants and are
primary therefore known
producers, as consumers.
convert this
energy into
chemical energy
in the form of
sugars.
 The energy Animals feed on
supplied by the the complex
sun, supports molecules
most life on produced by the
Earth. Plants, the plants and are
primary therefore known
producers, as consumers.
convert this
energy into
chemical energy Fungi and some
in the form of bacteria are
sugars. decomposers. They
feed on the
remains of dead
organisms and
break down the
complex biological
molecules into
simpler raw
materials.
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
3. Energy flows and matter cycles through living organisms.

Energy flows
Nutrients, e.g.
between and
carbon, nitrogen,
within
phosphorous
populations,
(matter) cycles
communities and
between living
ecosystems. A
organisms and the
portion of that
non-living
energy is lost as
components of
heat.
the biosphere.
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
4. Living organisms compensate for changes in the environment
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
4. Living organisms compensate for changes in the environment

Living organisms
are able to detect
changes in the
environment and
then compensate
through controlled
responses.
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
4. Living organisms compensate for changes in the environment

Special The receptors

receptors, which trigger reactions
are molecules on for a
cell surfaces or compensating
structures on response.
body surfaces,
can detect
environmental
changes.
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
5. Living organisms reproduce and many undergo development.

All living organisms on Earth is part of an

unbroken chain of life through the
process of reproduction.

This way, parents pass on copies of their

DNA to their offspring and the offspring
therefore resembles the parents. The
parents’ DNA contain all the instructions
for all the processes of life.
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
5. Living organisms reproduce and many undergo development.

The transmission
of DNA from one
generation to the
next is known as
inheritance.
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
5. Living organisms reproduce and many undergo development.

Multi-cellular organisms undergo a

process of development. This includes a
series of programmed changes encoded
in the DNA, through which a fertilized
egg divides repeatedly and is eventually
transformed into an adult that can
reproduce.
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
5. Living organisms reproduce and many undergo development.

The sequential stages through which an individual

develop, grow , self-maintain and reproduce again is
known as its life cycle.
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
6. Populations of living organisms undergo change from one generation to the next.

Sometimes, an individual may acquire a change

in their DNA, causing them to have unusual
characteristics, which they may then pass on
again to their offspring.
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
6. Populations of living organisms undergo change from one generation to the next.

Sometimes, an individual may acquire a change

in their DNA, causing them to have unusual
characteristics, which they may then pass on
again to their offspring.

This process is known as

biological evolution
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
6. Populations of living organisms undergo change from one generation to the next.
 Characteristics of Living Organisms
6. Populations of living organisms undergo change from one generation to the next.

Favourable mutations produce traits that help an

organism survive longer or reproduce more under
specific environmental conditions. This is known as
adaptation.

Adaptations enable organisms to survive

and reproduce in the environments where
they live.
 WHAT is LIFE ?
Have you learnt the following during this
lesson?

 What an emergent property is.

 What cells are.

 What the characteristics of living organisms are.

 Can you now
answer this
question?

Why are viruses

then considered
not to be alive?