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Retrovirus Notes: Definitions & Explanations PDF | Download eBooks

Study Retrovirus lecture notes PDF with biology definitions and explanation to study “What is Retrovirus?”. Study retrovirus explanation with biology terms to review biology course for online degree programs.

Retrovirus Definition:

  • Viruses belonging to the class VI who integrate their genome in the host cell.

    Campbell Biology by J.B. Reece, L.A. Urry, M.L. Cain, S.A. Wasserman, P.V. Minorsky, R.B. Jackson



Retrovirus Notes:

A retrovirus is a type of RNA virus that inserts a copy of its genome into the DNA of a host cell that it invades therefore subsequently changing the genome of that cell. Such viruses are either single stranded RNA, an example of which is HIV, or double stranded DNA viruses e.g. Hepatitis B virus. Once inside the host cell's cytoplasm, the virus uses its own reverse transcriptase enzyme to produce DNA from its RNA genome. The new DNA is then incorporated into the host cell genome by an integrase enzyme.

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