Coronavirus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coronavirus |
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| Virus classification | |
| Group: |
Group IV ((+)ssRNA)
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| Order: | |
| Family: |
Coronaviridae
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| Subfamily: |
Coronavirinae
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Coronaviruses are a group of tiny living things called viruses. They belong to a family known as Coronaviridae. These viruses have a special outer layer, like a protective bubble, and they carry their genetic information using something called RNA.
If you look at coronaviruses under a very powerful microscope, they look like they have a "crown" or "halo" around them. This is where their name comes from, as "corona" means "crown" in Latin. This crown is made of special proteins called "spike proteins." These spike proteins are very important because they help the virus attach to and infect cells in your body.
The main parts that make up a coronavirus are the spike (S), envelope (E), membrane (M), and nucleocapsid (N) proteins.
Contents
Coronaviruses often infect the upper breathing system (like your nose and throat) and the digestive system (like your stomach and intestines). They can infect both mammals, including humans, and birds.
Scientists believe that coronaviruses are responsible for many of the common colds that human adults get. It can be tricky for scientists to study these viruses in the laboratory. This makes it hard to know their full impact on health and the economy.
Some well-known coronaviruses that can infect humans include:
- MERS-CoV (which caused Middle East Respiratory Syndrome)
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (which causes COVID-19)
Related Topics
Images for kids
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Transmission electron micrograph of organ cultured coronavirus OC43
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Structure of a coronavirus
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Diagram of the genome and functional domains of the S protein for SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV
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SARS-CoV genome and proteins
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Replicase-transcriptase complex
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Transcription of nested mRNAs
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Nested set of subgenomic mRNAs
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Phylogenetic tree of coronaviruses
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Origins of human coronaviruses with possible intermediate hosts
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Transmission and life-cycle of SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19
See also
In Spanish: Orthocoronavirinae para niños
