Index >> Virus Structure and Classification >> Viral Nucleic Acids

Types of Viral Nucleic Acids

Viral nucleic acids show considerable diversity. Viruses may contain DNA or RNA which may be single or .double stranded, linear or circular. Some may have plus polarity while others may have plus polarity.

With respect to the number of strands, four types of nucleic acids are found in viruses:

Single stranded DNA (ssDNA)

Double stranded DNA (dsDNA)

Single stranded RNA (ssRNA) and

Double stranded RNA (dsRNA).