protovirus

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

proto- +‎ virus

Noun[edit]

protovirus (plural protoviruses)

  1. (biology) A DNA sequence capable of mutating into an oncogenic virus, proposed as a hypothesis to explain the origin of ribodeoxyviruses as arising from normal cellular components.

Related terms[edit]