Index >> Virus Structure and Classification >> Single Stranded RNA (ssRNA)

Single Stranded RNA - ssRNa
It is found in a variety of animal viruses and icosahedral plant viruses.

The strand may be 'plus' or infectious, as in most, plant viruses, RNA bacteriophages, picornaviruses and togaviruses, or 'minus' and non infectious, as in rhabdoviruses and paramyxoviruses.

Plus ssRNA directly acts as messenger RNA and translates protein on the ribosomes.

Hence it is infectious. Minus ssRNA first transcribes a, complementary messenger RNA strand which has opposite polarity. The mRNA then translates protein. The minus strand is non infectious.