how retroviruses are an exception to the unidirectional information flow?
Answers
Retroviruses comprise a large and diverse family of enveloped RNA viruses defined by common taxonomic denominators that include structure, composition, and replicative properties (Coffin 1992a,b, 1996). The virions are 80–100 nm in diameter, and their outer lipid envelope incorporates and displays the viral glycoproteins (Fig. 1). The shape and location of the internal protein core are characteristic for various genera of the family. The virion RNA is 7–12 kb in size, and it is linear, single-stranded, nonsegmented, and of positive polarity. The hallmark of the family is its replicative strategy which includes as essential steps reverse transcription of the virion RNA into linear double-stranded DNA and the subsequent integration of this DNA into the genome of the cell.