ssRNA -ve viruses: segmented vs unsegmented

[Andy Pekosz]

In article <DHMw99.2tJ at blaze.trentu.ca>, idworkin at ivory.trentu.ca wrote:

>  I am doing some research on  filoviruses and mononegaviridae in
general, I have come across the term segmented vs unsegmented , however my
virology text has n defn for it and have not found any clear meaning for
the term segmented. I am guessing that segmented may be for viruses
without overlapping genes and unsegmented have overlapping genes but if
anyone in virology land can help me by giving me a definition and some
examples I would be very happy.
>  I can be reached here or at IDWORKIN at TRENTU.CA
> 
> thanks in advance
> Ian

Ian:

Segmented, negative strand RNA viruses are so named because their genome
consists of not one, but several strands or segments of RNA, each of which
encodes distinct protein(s).  It is similar (roughly) to how a human's genome
is made up of several chromosomes, each of which codes for different proteins.

Bunyaviruses, arenaviruses and influenza arethe main virus groups in this
classification.

Andrew Pekosz              
Depts. of Neurology and Microbiology
University of Pennsylvania Medical Center
255 Clinical Research Bldg.
415 Curie Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19104

phone:   (215) 898-3502
fax:  (215) 573-2029
email:   pekosz at shy.neuro.upenn.edu