CLASSIFICATION OF VIRUS

Viruses are classified on the basis of morphology, chemical composition, and mode of
replication.

The following properties have been used as a basis for the classification of viruses.

On the Basis of Genetic Material Present

Viruses are small, nonliving parasites, which cannot replicate outside of a host cell. A virus
consists of genetic information — either DNA or RNA — coated by a protein. Accordingly, they
are classified as DNA viruses and RNA viruses. The nucleic acid may be single or double
stranded, circular or linear, segmented or unsegmented.

DNA viruses: As their name implies, DNA viruses use DNA as their genetic material. Some
common examples of DNA viruses are parvovirus, papillomavirus, and herpesvirus. DNA viruses
can affect both humans and animals and can range from causing benign symptoms to posing very
serious health.

RNA viruses: The virus that possesses RNA as genetic material are called RNA viruses.
Rotavirus, polio virus, yellow fever virus, dengue virus, hepatitis C virus, measles virus, rabies
virus, influenza virus and Ebola virus are examples of RNA virus.

DNA-RNA viruses: The RNA tumor viruses called Leukoviruses and Rous’s viruses unusually
contain both DNA and RNA as genetic material.

On the basis of the presence of a number of strands

Double-stranded DNA: It is found in pox viruses, the bacteriophages T2, T4, T6, T3, T7 and
Lamda, herpes viruses, adenoviruses etc.

Single-stranded DNA: It is found in bacteriophagesφ, X, 74 bacteriophages.

Double-stranded RNA: It has been found within viral capsid in the reoviruses of animals and in
the wound tumour virus and rice dwarf viruses of plants.

Single-stranded RNA: It is found in most of the RNA viruses eg: tobacco mosaic virus,
influenza virus, poliomyelitis, bacteriophage MS-2, Avian leukemia virus.

On the Basis of Presence of Envelope

The envelope is a lipid-containing membrane that surrounds some virus particles. It is acquired
during viral maturation by a budding process through a cellular membrane. Virus encoded
glycoproteins are exposed on the surface of the envelope. These projections are called peplomers.
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Enveloped Virus

 DNA viruses: Herpesviruses, Poxviruses, Hepadnaviruses

 RNA viruses: Flavivirus, Toga virus, Coronavirus, Hepatitis D, Orthomyxovirus,
Paramyxovirus, Rhabdovirus, Bunyavirus, Filovirus
 Retroviruses

Non-Enveloped Virus

 DNA viruses- parvovirus, adenovirus and papovavirus.

 RNA viruses- Picornavirus, Hepatitis A virus and Hepatitis E virus.

Virus Classification by Capsid Structure

Naked icosahedral: Hepatitis A virus, polioviruses

Enveloped icosahedral: Epstein-Barr virus, herpes simplex virus, rubella virus, yellow fever
virus, HIV-1
Enveloped helical: Influenza viruses, mumps virus, measles virus, rabies virus
Naked helical: Tobacco mosaic virus
Complex with many proteins: some have combinations of icosahedral and helical capsid
structures. Herpesviruses, smallpox virus, hepatitis B virus, T4 bacteriophage.

Classification of Virus on the Basis of Structure

Icosahedral symmetry: They are also known as Cubical virus Eg. Reo virus, Picorna virus.
Helical symmetry: They are also known as Spiral virus Eg. Paramyxovirus, orthomyxovirus.
Radial symmetry virus: eg. Bacteriophage.
Complex virus: eg. Pox virus.

On the Basis of the Type of Host

The virus can be classified on the basis of the type of host. They are:

Animal Viruses: The viruses which infect and live inside the animal cell including man are
called animal viruses. Eg; influenza virus, rabies virus, mumps virus, poliovirus etc. Their genetic
material is RNA or DNA.

Plant Viruses: The viruses that infect plants are called plant viruses. Their genetic material is
RNA which remains enclosed in the protein coat. Some plant viruses are tobacco mosaic virus,
potato virus, beet yellow virus and turnip yellow virus etc.

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Bacteriophages: Viruses which infect bacterial cells are known as bacteriophage or bacteria
eaters. They contain DNA as genetic material. There are many varieties of bacteriophages.
Usually, each kind of bacteriophage will attack only one species or only one strain of bacteria.

Classification of Virus on the Basis of Mode of Transmission

Virus transmitted through respiratory route: Eg, Swine flu, Rhino virus
Virus transmitted through faeco-oral route: Eg. Hepatitis A virus, Polio virus,Rotavirus
Virus transmitted through sexual contacts: Eg. Retro virus
Virus transmitted through blood transfusion: Eg. Hepatitis B virus, HIV
Zoonotic virus: Virus transmitted through biting of infected animals; Eg. Rabies virus, Alpha
virus, Flavi virus

Classification of Virus on the Basis of Replication Properties and Site of Replication

1. Replication and assembly in cytoplasm of host: All RNA virus replicate and assemble in
cytoplasm of host cell except Influenza virus

2. Replication in nucleus and assembly in cytoplasm of host: Influenza virus, Pox virus

3. Replication and assembly in nucleus of host: All DNA viruses replicate and assemble in
nucleus of host cell except Pox virus.

4. Virus replication through ds DNA intermediate: All DNA virus, Retro virus and some
tumor causing RNA virus replicates through ds DNA as intermediates.

5. Virus replication through ss RNA intermediate: All RNA virus except Reo virus and tumor
causing RNA viruses.

Baltimore Classification of Viruses

The most commonly used system of virus classification was developed by Nobel Prize-winning
biologist David Baltimore in the early 1970s. In addition to the differences in morphology and
genetics mentioned above, the Baltimore classification scheme groups viruses according to how
the mRNA is produced during the replicative cycle of the virus.

Group I viruses contain double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) as their genome. Their mRNA is
produced by transcription in much the same way as with cellular DNA.

Group II viruses have single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) as their genome. They convert their single-
stranded genomes into a dsDNA intermediate before transcription to mRNA can occur.

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Group III viruses use dsRNA as their genome. The strands separate, and one of them is used as a
template for the generation of mRNA using the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase encoded by
the virus.

Group IV viruses have ssRNA as their genome with a positive polarity. Positive polarity means
that the genomic RNA can serve directly as mRNA. Intermediates of dsRNA, called replicative
intermediates, are made in the process of copying the genomic RNA. Multiple, full-length RNA
strands of negative polarity (complementary to the positive-stranded genomic RNA) are formed
from these intermediates, which may then serve as templates for the production of RNA with
positive polarity, including both full-length genomic RNA and shorter viral mRNAs.

Group V viruses contain ssRNA genomes with a negative polarity, meaning that their sequence
is complementary to the mRNA. As with Group IV viruses, dsRNA intermediates are used to
make copies of the genome and produce mRNA. In this case, the negative-stranded genome can
be converted directly to mRNA. Additionally, full-length positive RNA strands are made to serve
as templates for the production of the negative-stranded genome.

Group VI viruses have diploid (two copies) ssRNA genomes that must be converted, using the
enzyme reverse transcriptase, to dsDNA; the dsDNA is then transported to the nucleus of the host
cell and inserted into the host genome. Then, mRNA can be produced by transcription of the viral
DNA that was integrated into the host genome.

Group VII viruses have partial dsDNA genomes and make ssRNA intermediates that act as
mRNA, but are also converted back into dsDNA genomes by reverse transcriptase, necessary for
genome replication.

1. I: dsDNA viruses (e.g. Adenoviruses, Herpesviruses, Poxviruses)

2. II: ssDNA viruses (+)sense DNA (e.g. Parvoviruses)
3. III: dsRNA viruses (e.g. Reoviruses)
4. IV: (+)ssRNA viruses (+)sense RNA (e.g. Picornaviruses, Togaviruses)
5. V: (−)ssRNA viruses (−)sense RNA (e.g. Orthomyxoviruses, Rhabdoviruses)
6. VI: ssRNA-RT viruses (+)sense RNA with DNA intermediate in life-cycle (e.g. Retroviruses)
7. VII: dsDNA-RT viruses (e.g. Hepadnaviruses)

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Table1: Baltimore Classification of Viruses