Definition
A retrovirus is a virus that inserts a DNA copy of its RNA genome into the DNA of a host cell that it invades, thus changing the genome of that cell. After invading a host cell's cytoplasm, the virus uses its own reverse transcriptase enzyme to produce DNA from its RNA genome, the reverse of the usual pattern, thus retro (backward). The new DNA is then incorporated into the host cell genome by an integrase enzyme, at which point the retroviral DNA is referred to as a provirus. The host cell then treats the viral DNA as part of its own genome, transcribing and translating the viral genes along with the cell's own genes, producing the proteins required to assemble new copies of the virus. Many retroviruses cause serious diseases in humans, other mammals, and birds.
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virusHuman T-lymphotropic virus 1Human T-lymphotropic virus 2Human foamy virusHuman teratocarcinoma-derived virusHuolimaviricetesHydrogenosomeHypoviridaeHytrosaviridaeIflaviridaeImiterviralesImmunologyIncertae sedisInheritanceInoviridaeInsthoviricetesIntegraseInterim Register of Marine and Nonmarine GeneraInterspersed repeatIridoviridaeJaagsiekte sheep retrovirusJeewanuJingchuviralesJunk DNAKalamaviralesKalanchoe top-spotting virusKappa organismKissing stem-loopKitaviridaeKitrinoviricotaKoala retrovirusLaserviricetesLast universal common ancestorLautamoviralesLavidaviridaeLefaviralesLeishbuviridaeLenarviricotaLentiviralLentivirusLeucoplastLeviviricetesLifeLigamenviralesLinear chromosomeLipid bilayerLipid bilayer fusionLipothrixviridaeLispiviridaeLoebviraeLuteoviridaeLymphocyte T-Cell Immune ModulatorMagsaviricetesMalacoherpesviridaeMalgrandaviricetesMarnaviridaeMarseilleviridaeMartelliviralesMatonaviridaeMatshushitaviridaeMaveriviricetesMayoviridaeMedioniviridaeMegabirnaviridaeMegaviricetesMembrane vesicle traffickingMesoniviridaeMessenger RNAMetahepadnavirusMetaviridaeMetavirusMetaxyviridaeMiaviricetesMicroviridaeMilneviricetesMimiviridaeMindiviralesMitochondrionMitosomeMitoviridaeMobile genetic elementsMobilomeModel lipid bilayerMonjiviricetesMonodnaviriaMononegaviralesMononiviridaeMorphology (biology)Mouse mammary tumor virusMouse mammary tumour virusMouse models of breast cancer metastasisMouviricetesMulpaviralesMultiple sclerosisMurine leukemia virusMutateMuviralesMymonaviridaeMyoviridaeMypoviridaeMyriaviridaeNackednaviridaeNairoviridaeNaldaviricetesNanghoshaviridaeNanhypoviridaeNanobacteriumNanobeNanometreNanoviridaeNarnaviridaeNatareviridaeNational Center for Biotechnology InformationNegarnaviricotaNegative-sense ssRNA 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(biology)SchitoviridaeSecondary chromosomeSecoviridaeSelf-replicationSemotivirusSepolyviralesSerpentoviralesShotokuviraeSimian-T-lymphotropic virusSimian foamy virusSimian immunodeficiency virusSimiispumavirusSimuloviridaeSinhaliviridaeSiphoviridaeSirevirusSmacoviridaeSobeliviralesSolemoviridaeSolendovirusSolinviviridaeSolspiviridaeSoybean chlorotic mottle virusSoymovirusSphaerolipoviridaeSpiraviridaeSpumaretrovirinaeSpumavirusSrc (gene)SsDNA virusSsRNA-RT virusSteitzviridaeStellaviralesStelpaviricetesStrawberry vein banding virusSubviral agentsSuforviricetesSulphobesSunviridaeSwiss Institute of BioinformaticsSyncytin-1Synthetic virologyTaleaviricotaTandem repeatTectiliviricetesTectiviridaeThaspiviridaeThe New YorkerTi plasmidTimloviralesTobaniviridaeTogaviridaeTokiviricetesToliviralesTolucaviricetesTombusviridaeTospoviridaeTotiviridaeTranscription (genetics)Transposable elementTranspovironTrapaviraeTrimbiviridaeTristromaviridaeTrophosomeTubulaviralesTungrovirusTurriviridaeTymoviralesTymoviridaeUnambiviridaeUroviricotaVaccinesVaccinivirusVaridnaviriaVector (molecular biology)VidaverviricetesVinaviralesViral envelopeViral vectorVirgaviridaeVirionViroidViromeVirophageVirulence factorVirusVirus classificationVirusoidVisna-maedi virusWalleye epidermal hyperplasia virusWikidataWikispeciesWolframviralesWoodchuck hepatitis virusWoolly monkey hepatitis B virusWorld Register of Marine SpeciesWupedeviridaeXenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virusXinmoviridaeYueviridaeYunchangviricetesZilligviraeZobellviridaeZurhausenvirales
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