Question

For some reasons, RNA acknowledge as the oldest molecule on earth. The ancient one. Is there any possibilities that a RNA virus is one of the ancient molecule?

Answer 1

Viruses, by definition, reproduce inside of cells - therefore cells must have evolved before viruses. The theorized origin of cells is replicating molecules (RNA) inside of coacervates (small lipid spheres with organic molecules inside).
To understand the theories concerning life's origins, you should know 1) that the Urey-Miller Experiment and related experiments concerning prebiotic chemical evolution of life produce polypeptides (a biologically functional polypeptide or combination of multiple polypeptides is called a protein) and RNA; 2) that RNA's with enzymatic activity (called ribozymes) are theorized to be the first replicating molecules. We can make several observations supporting the idea that RNA predates both DNA and protein in the evolution of modern cells: 1) DNA polymerases (enzymes that catalyze DNA synthesis) require RNA primers; 2) ribosomes (the organelle that produces new polypeptides in all modern cells) relies on RNA and not protein for its enzymatic activity (i.e. ribosomes contain ribozymes)

Answer 2

by the way, an RNA virus would contain both RNA and protein

Answer 3

I like Ozyman's method of inference and hint of saying NO. Though viruses depend on their hosts to survive, I will keep an open-mind that viruses even pre-date cellular life. The question then, would be: is cellular life required for a virus to take form? I think not, but an expert about viruses might give a better answer. http://www.virology.ws/virology-101/

I'd look at the possibility of virus having evolved from self-replicating molecules, which can be said the same about RNA.

Answer 4

Without a host, a virus really wouldn't be called a virus I think. The virus is just software that requires a host to run on, and that software is very specific to the type of host that the virus has evolved to parasitize, hence the virus is nothing without its host platform.

So I doubt that any modern viruses contain elements that predate the first cells.

Now, before there were cells there probably were simpler systems of self-replicating molecules, and it seems to be frequently suggested that the first systems with anything like genetic information were probably based on RNA.

Perhaps such entities would resemble viruses in simplicity and structure more than they would say a bacterium, but I would guess that modern viruses developed later, as they seem to be constructed out of information derived from cellular life.

Z.

Answer 5

Without a host, a virus is still a virus.

viruses and tree of life
http://www.virology.ws/2009/03/19/viruses-and-the-tree-of-life/

genome beginnings and network of life
http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/364/1527/2169.short

Ten good reasons not to exclude giruses from the evolutionary picture
http://wwwabi.snv.jussieu.fr/boccara/Public/M2Evolution_RNAvirus/nrmicro2108-c3.pdf

Sorry for the late response, my finals was this past week.

Answer 6

In the retroviruses, they have RNA genomes, and also have reverse transcriptase. I think these are called retroviruses. I think viruses having DNA single or double stranded genomes, are the oldest of the viruses. Then upon crreplications and assembly some RNA was captured, which went through a portall of "being fitt" enough to replicate.

Answer 7

In the retroviruses, the mRNA strand is the negative strand, and then its used to complete a sequence of Single stranded DNA. THis ssDNA is transcribed to make a dsDNA. Then in the past RNA viruses Came after DNA viruses.

Answer 8

It is a question of what life form arouse first. Viruses I don't think contributed
to the evolution of any of teh life forms of the five kingdoms.