Classification of Virus
Virus can be classified either on the basis of the nucleic acid they contain or on the basis of their structure.iruses can be classified based on various phenotypic characteristics, including nucleic acid type, morphology, mode of replication, chemical composition, host organisms, size, shape, and the type of disease they cause. Baltimore classification, created by virologist David Baltimore in 1971, is the most accepted classification for studying viruses.
Classification of Virus based on the type of nucleic acid
DNA virus
When the genetic material in the virus is DNA, it is known as the DNA virus. It can be categorized into Single-stranded (ss) and Double-stranded (ds) DNA . Some category-wise examples are:
- Single-stranded(ss): Parvovirus, Picornaviruses
- Double-stranded(ds): Herpesvirus, Adenovirus
RNA virus
When the genetic material in the virus is RNA, it is known as the RNA virus. It can be categorized into Single-stranded (ss) and Double-stranded (ds) RNA. Some category-wise examples are:
- Double-stranded(ds):Reovirus
- Single-stranded(ss): Poliovirus, Hepatitis A, Rabies virus, Influenza Single-stranded (ss) can be further subcategorized as:
- Positive sense RNA (+RNA)
- Negative sense RNA (-RNA)
Classification of Virus Based on the Structure
The following are the different virus types based on the structure, each given with some examples.
Type of Virus |
Example |
---|---|
Cubical virus (also known as icosahedral symmetry virus) |
Picorna virus, Reovirus |
Radial symmetry virus |
Bacteriophage |
Spiral virus (also known as helical symmetry virus) |
Orthomyxovirus, Paramyxovirus |
Complex virus |
Pox virus |
Virus in Biology
Virus is an infectious agent of the submicroscopic size that cannot survive alone. Hence, it infects cells of other living organisms and replicates itself using the components of these host cells. Its biological structure is comprised of a fragment of nucleic acid that could either be DNA or RNA. The most commonly known examples of viruses are HIV Virus, Coronavirus, Ebola virus, etc.
In this article, you will learn about what is virus in biology, characteristics of virus, its structure, importance, reproduction and examples of virus.
Table of Content
- What is Virus in Biology?
- Characteristics of Virus
- Classification of Virus
- Structure of Virus
- Example of a Bacterial Virus
- Reproduction in Virus
- Importance of Virus
- Diseases caused by Virus
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