Short description
Retroviruses possess a genome made of ribonucleic acid (RNA), which they transcribe into DNA using an own enzyme. DNA is then integrated into the host cell’s genome.
Detailed description
The production of double-stranded DNA using single-stranded RNA as a template is reversed to the usual flow of genetic information. Therefore, these viruses are called retroviruses. Among them are viruses that can cause tumors due to their integration into the host genome. A common example for a retrovirus if the
AIDS pathogen HIV.