BRAINCAKERNA Viruses
RNA viruses have a genome made of RNA rather than DNA. The RNA may be single-stranded (ssRNA) or, less often, double-stranded (dsRNA).
Examples of RNA viruses include:
• influenza virus (flu)
• measles virus
• rhinoviruses (most common colds)
• poliovirus
• SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)
• Ebola virus
• tobacco mosaic virus (a plant virus)
Single-stranded RNA viruses are divided into two groups by the sense of their genome:
• positive-sense (+ssRNA): the genome has the same base sequence as mRNA, so it can be translated directly by host ribosomes (e.g. poliovirus, SARS-CoV-2).
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Key terms in this lesson
- retrovirus
- An RNA virus that copies its genome into DNA using reverse transcriptase before inserting it into the host cell's chromosome.
More in Prokaryotic Cells
- Alternative Classification of Bacteria
- Viruses
- The Structure of Viruses
- DNA Viruses
- RNA Retroviruses
- Viral Reproduction
- Virus Life Cycle
- DNA Virus Latency
All 31 lessons in Prokaryotic Cells · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics