noun
- Plural of oncornavirus; a group of retroviruses that can cause tumors or cancer in animals and humans.
Usage: technical; virology; oncology
Examples
- Oncornaviruses are retroviruses known for their ability to transform normal cells into cancerous ones.
- Researchers studied oncornaviruses to better understand viral oncogenesis.
- Some oncornaviruses integrate their genetic material into the host genome, potentially causing malignant transformation.
- The discovery of oncornaviruses in the 1970s revolutionized cancer virology research.