The Viral Talk

Episode 7 - Viral Diversity

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How many types of viruses are there? How do scientist classify them and why is it important to know? This and much more in this episode of the Viral Talk.


Key takeaways:

  • Scientists predict hundreds of millions of different viral species on our planet, but they can all be grouped in 'only' seven different groups.
  • These seven groups have been theorized by virologist David Baltimore based on the different types of genomes they can have, and how this affects the way in which they replicate.
  • In nature, almost all organisms follow the central dogma of biology: DNA->RNA->Proteins. But not all viruses follow it.
  • The seven groups are:
    1. double stranded DNA viruses (e.g. herpesviruses)
    2. single stranded DNA viruses (e.g. many bacterial viruses)
    3. double stranded RNA viruses (e.g. rotaviruses)
    4. positive sense single stranded RNA viruses (e.g. coronaviruses)
    5. negative sense single stranded RNA viruses (e.g. Influenza virus)
    6. double stranded RNA viruses with DNA intermediate (e.g. HIV)
    7. double stranded DNA viruses with RNA intermediates (e.g. Hepatitis B virus)
      • Knowing how viruses replicate beforehand can give us a heads-up on potential targets for antiviral drug development.
      • Examples include antivirals against HIV and other retroviruses.


        • For people who'd like to know more:

        Original paper on Baltimore classification -  DOI: 10.1128/br.35.3.235-241.1971

        Success story on antivirals against HIV: DOI: 10.1016/S0166-3542(98)00025-4

        Visual explanation of Baltimore classification scheme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2YOZnvgcuk&ab_channel=Shomu%27sBiology


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        The Viral TalkBy Federico De Angelis, Bobbie-Anne Turner