GC: n
S: Biolref – http://www.biologyreference.com/Dn-Ep/DNA-Viruses.html (last access: 31 May 2016); NCBI – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21523/ (last access: 31 May 2016).
N: 1. DNA (n): 1944, abbreviation of deoxyribonucleic acid (1931).
virus (n): Late 14c., “venomous substance,” from Latin virus “poison, sap of plants, slimy liquid, a potent juice. Main modern meaning “agent that causes infectious disease” first recorded 1728.
2. A virus in which the genetic material is DNA rather than RNA. The DNA may be either double- or single-stranded.
3. Major groups of double-stranded DNA viruses (class I viruses) include the adenoviruses, the herpes viruses, and the poxviruses. Major groups of single-stranded DNA viruses (class II viruses) include the parvoviruses and coliphages.
4. Differences between DNA virus and RNA virus:
- DNA viruses are mostly double-stranded while RNA viruses are single-stranded.
- RNA mutation rate is higher than DNA mutation rate.
- DNA replication takes place in the nucleus while RNA replication takes place in the cytoplasm.
- DNA viruses are stable while RNA viruses are unstable.
- In DNA viruses, viral genetic code is injected in the host DNA for duplication and decoding. RNA viruses skip DNA for duplication and decoding.
S: 1. OED – http://goo.gl/1rkzSw; http://goo.gl/4OIJPk (last access: 31 May 2016). 2 & 3. Mednet – http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=12159 (last access: 31 May 2016). 4. TDB – http://www.differencebetween.net/science/health/difference-between-dna-and-rna-viruses/ (last access: 31 May 2016).
SYN: deoxyribovirus
S: GDT (last access: 31 May 2016)
