[Campbell Biology P.457] Which statement best describes the current understanding of the ori... | Practice Question

Which statement best describes the current understanding of the origin and general nature of viruses based on the provided text?

  • A: Viruses are considered descendants of precellular life forms.
  • B: Viruses are entirely independent life forms that can replicate outside host cells.
  • C: Viruses are thought to have originated from cellular nucleic acids that became mobile genetic elements.
  • D: Viral genomes are always completely distinct from host genomes.

Explanation

The text states that 'Most molecular biologists favor the hypothesis that viruses originated from naked bits of cellular nucleic acids that moved from one cell to another' and that viruses, plasmids, and transposons are all 'mobile genetic elements'. This aligns with option C.