Classification of Viruses
Among various classifications proposed for viruses
the classification given by David Baltimore in the year 1971 is given below.
The classification is based on mechanism of RNA production, the nature of the
genome (single stranded –ss
Each virus possesses only one type of nucleic acid
either DNA or RNA. The nucleic acid may be in a linear or circular form.
Generally nucleic acid is present as a single unit but in wound tumour virus
and in influenza virus it is found in segments. The viruses possessing DNA are
called ‘Deoxyviruses’ whereas those
possessing RNA are called ‘Riboviruses’ .
Majority of animal and bacterial
viruses are DNA viruses (HIV is the animal virus which possess RNA). Plant
viruses generally contain RNA (Cauliflower Mosaic virus possess DNA). The
nucleic acids may be single stranded or double stranded. On the basis of nature
of nucleic acid viruses are classified into four Categories. They are Viruses
with ssDNA (Parvoviruses), dsDNA (Bacteriophages), ssRNA (TMV) and dsRNA(wound
tumour virus).
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