Daily Almanac for
Feb 12, 2012
Search: Infoplease Info search tips
Search: Biographies Bio search tips
| Share
 

Dictionary


ret•ro•vi•rus



Pronunciation: (re"tru-vī'rus, re'tru-vī"-), [key]
n.,
pl. -rus•es.

any of a family of single-stranded RNA viruses having a helical envelope and containing an enzyme that allows for a reversal of genetic transcription, from RNA to DNA rather than the usual DNA to RNA, the newly transcribed viral DNA being incorporated into the host cell's DNA strand for the production of new RNA retroviruses: the family includes the AIDS virus and certain oncogene-carrying viruses implicated in various cancers.

Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.

Retrovirretrude
    • Cite
    • Print
    • Bookmark
See also:

 

Related Content



A free, reliable Q&A site for homework help. Answerplease.com