Diversity and Evolution of the Animal Virome

Introduction

Viruses are acellular, parasitic agents that can only replicate within living cells. Animal viruses are a diverse group of viruses that infect animals, including humans. They can cause a wide range of diseases, from mild respiratory infections to severe and life-threatening illnesses.

Diversity of Animal Viruses

Animal viruses are classified into three groups based on their genetic material: DNA viruses, RNA viruses, and reverse-transcribing viruses. DNA viruses have a genome made of DNA, while RNA viruses have a genome made of RNA. Reverse-transcribing viruses have a genome made of RNA, but they use a reverse transcriptase enzyme to convert their RNA genome into a DNA genome before replication.

Animal viruses are further classified into families, genera, and species based on their genetic similarities. There are currently over 100 families of animal viruses, and new viruses are being discovered all the time.

Evolution of Animal Viruses

Animal viruses have evolved over millions of years. They have adapted to infect a wide range of hosts, from insects to mammals. Some viruses have even evolved to infect multiple hosts.

The evolution of animal viruses is driven by a number of factors, including the host's immune system, the environment, and the virus's own genetic makeup. Viruses that are able to evade the host's immune system are more likely to survive and replicate.