RNA virus

RNA virus is a type of virus that has RNA (ribonucleic acid) as its genetic material. This includes viruses that are part of the Retroviridae, Flaviviridae, and Picornaviridae families, among others. The RNA genome can be either single-stranded (ssRNA) or double-stranded (dsRNA), and may contain one or more separate RNA molecules.

Classification

RNA viruses can be classified into different types based on their genome structure and replication method. These include:

• Positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses (+ssRNA viruses): These viruses have genetic material that can be directly translated into protein. Examples include West Nile virus, Zika virus, and Hepatitis C virus.

• Negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses (-ssRNA viruses): These viruses need to be converted into positive-sense RNA by an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase before they can be translated. Examples include Ebola virus, Rabies virus, and Influenza virus.

• Double-stranded RNA viruses (dsRNA viruses): These viruses have a double-stranded RNA genome. Examples include Rotavirus and Bluetongue virus.

• Retroviruses: These viruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that is reverse transcribed into DNA, which is then integrated into the host's genome. Examples include HIV and Human T-lymphotropic virus.

Replication

RNA viruses replicate through a process called RNA replication, which involves the synthesis of a complementary RNA strand from a template RNA strand. This process is carried out by an enzyme called RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which is encoded by the virus. In the case of retroviruses, the RNA genome is reverse transcribed into DNA by the enzyme reverse transcriptase.

Diseases

RNA viruses are responsible for a wide range of diseases in humans, animals, and plants. These include AIDS, hepatitis C, Ebola virus disease, Zika fever, influenza, and COVID-19, which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

See also

• DNA virus
• Viral replication
• Viral evolution

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