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Hepadnaviridae

Orthohepadnavirus
Avihepadnavirus Hepadnaviruses are the viruses in the family Hepadnaviridae. Hepadnaviruses cause liver infections in humans and animals. There are two genera included here:

  • Genus Orthohepadnavirus ; type species: Hepatitis B virus
  • Genus Avihepadnavirus ; type species: Duck hepatitis B virus

Hepadnaviruses have very small genomes of circular, partially double-stranded DNA. They have a peculiar mode of replication, because they replicate through an RNA intermediate (which they translate back into DNA using reverse transcriptase). Because of this mode of replication, Hepadnaviruses are classified as RNA viruses.



06-01-2009 23:10:04
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