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retrovirus (n.)
1977, earlier retravirus (1974), from re(verse) tra(nscriptase) + connective -o- + virus. So called because it contains reverse transcriptase, an enzyme that uses RNA instead of DNA to encode genetic information, which reverses the usual pattern. Remodeled by influence of retro- "backwards."
updated on July 30, 2021
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Dictionary entries near retrovirus
retrospect
retrospection
retrospective
retrousse
retroversion
retrovirus
retune
return
re-turn
returnable
retype