any of a group of viruses constituting the family Papovaviridae, responsible for a variety of abnormal growths in animals: warts (papillomas) in humans, dogs, and other animals; tumours (polyomas) in mice; and vacuoles (open areas) in cells of monkeys. The virus particle lacks an outer membrane; is spheroidal, about 45 nanometres (nm; 1 nm = 10 - 9 metre) across; is covered with 42 subunits called capsomeres; and contains deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Papovaviruses develop in the nuclei of cells, in which they can be seen in apparent crystalline arrangements.
PAPOVAVIRUS
Meaning of PAPOVAVIRUS in English
Britannica English vocabulary. Английский словарь Британика. 2012