Riboviria

Riboviria is a realm of viruses that includes all viruses that use RNA as their genetic material. This realm was established by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) in 2018. The name "Riboviria" is derived from the Latin ribo, meaning "ribonucleic acid", and viria, meaning "viruses".

Taxonomy

The realm Riboviria is divided into two kingdoms: Orthornavirae and Pararnavirae. These kingdoms are further divided into phyla, classes, orders, families, genera, and species. The classification of viruses within Riboviria is based on their genome structure and replication mechanisms.

Characteristics

Viruses in the realm Riboviria have RNA genomes that can be either single-stranded or double-stranded. The RNA genome is used to synthesize proteins and to replicate the virus. Riboviria viruses can infect a wide range of hosts, including bacteria, archaea, plants, animals, and fungi.

Replication

The replication of Riboviria viruses involves the transcription of the RNA genome into a complementary RNA strand, which is then used as a template for the synthesis of new RNA genomes. This process is carried out by the virus's own RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp).

Pathogenicity

Many viruses in the realm Riboviria are pathogenic, causing diseases in their hosts. These include some of the most well-known and deadly viruses, such as HIV, influenza, Ebola, and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

See also

• Virus classification
• RNA virus
• Viral evolution

Riboviria gallery

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  Riboviria collage
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  Pone.0139001.g001
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  Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2
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  Tobacco Mosaic Virus