What is the Difference Between Provirus and Retrovirus?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between a provirus and a retrovirus lies in their stages of replication and their genomic composition.
A provirus is a stage of viral replication where the virus genome is integrated into the host cell's DNA. This occurs when a retrovirus, such as HIV, invades a cell and reverse-transcribes its RNA genome into DNA using the enzyme reverse transcriptase. The provirus does not directly produce new DNA copies of itself while integrated into the host genome. In contrast, a retrovirus is an RNA virus that replicates via a DNA intermediate. Retroviruses contain reverse transcriptase enzymes, which allow them to convert their RNA genome into DNA.
In summary:
- A provirus is a stage of viral replication where the virus genome is integrated into the host cell's DNA.
- A retrovirus is an RNA virus that replicates via a DNA intermediate, containing reverse transcriptase enzymes.
Comparative Table: Provirus vs Retrovirus
Here is a table comparing the differences between a provirus and a retrovirus:
| Feature | Provirus | Retrovirus |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A provirus is a stage of viral replication where the virus genome is integrated into the host genome. | A retrovirus is an RNA virus that can reverse transcribe its RNA genome into DNA prior to replicating. |
| Genome | Provirus refers to a viral genome inserted into the genomic DNA of a eukaryotic host cell. | Retroviruses, such as HIV, have a single-stranded RNA genome. |
| Replication | Proviruses can act as endogenous viral elements for longer periods of time, but they differ from prophages in the way they integrate the viral genome. | Retroviruses replicate via a DNA intermediate, using reverse transcriptase enzymes to convert their RNA genome into DNA. |
| Stage | A provirus is a stage of viral replication inside the host, where the virus genome is integrated with the host genome. | Retroviruses undergo a provirus stage during their replication within the host, but they are not exclusively classified as proviruses. |
The key difference between a provirus and a retrovirus is that a provirus is a stage of viral replication where the virus genome is integrated into the host genome, while a retrovirus is a single-stranded RNA virus that replicates via a DNA intermediate. Retroviruses contain reverse transcriptase enzymes, unlike proviruses.
- Retrovirus vs Virus
- Lentivirus vs Retrovirus
- Adenovirus vs Retrovirus
- RNA Viruses vs Retroviruses
- Prophage vs Provirus
- Retrovirus vs Bacteriophage
- Antiviral vs Antiretroviral
- Virus vs Virion
- Transposon vs Retrotransposon
- Bacterial Transposases vs Retroviral Integrases
- Virus vs Prion
- DNA Transposons vs Retrotransposons
- Virus vs Viroids
- DNA vs RNA Viruses
- Virus vs Antivirus
- Enveloped vs Nonenveloped Viruses
- Virus vs Worm
- AAV vs Lentivirus
- HIV vs AIDS