provirus
/proʊˈvaɪrəs/
noun
- The genetic material of a virus that has been integrated into the DNA of a host cell and can be passed on to the cell's descendants.
- The provirus remained dormant in the patient's cells for years before becoming active.
- Once a provirus is formed, it can replicate along with the host cell's DNA.
- Scientists study how a provirus inserts itself into the host genome.