• Question: how many types of virus are there

    Asked by ed and bettys bae to Andy, Dwaine, Natt, Priya, Tatiana on 22 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Natt Day

      Natt Day answered on 22 Jun 2015:

      Hi JJ,

      There a 7 big groupings of virus. These 7 groups are grouped according to how the viruses genetic code is stored inside of them and how they make copies of this genetic material. The groups are:

      Group 1: double-stranded DNA genome
      Group 2: single-stranded DNA genome
      Group 3: double-stranded RNA genome
      Group 4: positive sense single-stranded RNA genome
      Group 5: negative sense single-stranded RNA genome
      Group 6: single-stranded RNA genome which uses Reverse Transcription to copy it
      Group 7: double-stranded DNA genome which uses Reverse Transcription to copy it

      Each of these big taxonomic groups can be further broken down in to virus families which all share similar characteristics.

      Natt

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