Comparative analysis of the taxonomic classification criteria for a number of groups of pathogenic DNA and RNA viruses based on genomic data

Abstract

The basis for criteria of the taxonomic classification of DNA and RNA viruses based on data of the genomic sequencing are viewed in this review. The genomic sequences of viruses, which have genome represented by double-stranded DNA (orthopoxviruses as example), positive-sense single-stranded RNA (alphaviruses and flaviviruses as example), non-segmented negative-sense single-stranded RNA (filoviruses as example), segmented negative-sense single-stranded RNA (arenaviruses and phleboviruses as example) are analyzed. The levels of genetic variability that determine the assignment of compared viruses to taxa of various orders are established for each group of viruses.