retrovirus definition biology
Retrovirus. A retrovirus is a virus that uses RNA as its genetic material. When a retrovirus infects a cell, it makes a DNA copy of its genome that is insert ed into the DNA of the host cell.~. A class of RNA-containing virus es.~ es can be trans lated back into DNA and incorporated into the genome of the infected cell.. A type of eukaryotic virus containing an RNA genome that replicates in cells by first making a DNA copy of the RNA. This proviral DNA is insert ed into cellular chromosomal DNA, and gives rise to further genomic RNA as well as the mRNAs for viral proteins. (Figure 6-22) ...