noun
- A genus of retroviruses that can cause tumors in animals and are studied for their role in cancer research.
Usage: technical; biology/virology
Examples
- Oncornavirus research has contributed significantly to understanding how viruses can transform normal cells into cancer cells.
- The oncornavirus genus includes several species that infect mammals and birds.
- Scientists use oncornavirus models to study the mechanisms of viral oncogenesis.
- Oncornavirus particles contain reverse transcriptase, an enzyme essential for their replication.