Question

What is the significance of the Baltimore classification? How might we be able to use this type of classification to learn more about viruses or ways to target them for treatments?

Answer 1

The Baltimore classification, developed by David Baltimore (in 1971), is a classification system that places viruses into one of seven groups depending on a combination of their nucleic acid (DNA or RNA), strandedness (single-stranded or double-stranded), Sense, and method of replication.
Baltimore created his virus classification scheme based on the central role of the translational machinery and the importance of viral mRNAs in programming viral protein synthesis. In this scheme, he placed mRNA in the center, and described the pathways to mRNA from DNA or RNA genomes.

According to Baltimore classification, viruses can be placed in one of the seven following groups:

I: dsDNA viruses (e.g. Adenoviruses)
II: ssDNA viruses (+)sense DNA (e.g. Parvoviruses)
III: dsRNA viruses (e.g. Reoviruses)
IV: (+)ssRNA viruses (+)sense RNA (e.g. Picornaviruses)
V: (−)ssRNA viruses (−)sense RNA (e.g. Orthomyxoviruses)
VI: ssRNA-RT viruses (+)sense RNA with DNA intermediate in life-cycle (e.g. Retroviruses)
VII: dsDNA-RT viruses (e.g. Hepadnaviruses)

This type of classification helps to learn more about viruses or ways to target them for treatments.

A proper classification helps to categorize the viruses in different classes or groups which simplify the way of studying them in specific according to their different properties.
Such as because the viral genome carries the blueprint for producing new viruses,classification provides a brief information about any new viral strain discovered and helps virologists to study its properties and initiate proper treatment.