Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of DNA virus: A polyoma virus is a small, double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the Polyomaviridae family.
   • An oncogenic virus: It is a virus that can initiate the formation of various kinds of tumors, particularly in mice and other rodents under experimental conditions.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The researcher studied the polyoma virus to understand its tumor-causing mechanisms.
  • Infection with the polyoma virus can lead to the development of multiple tumor types in laboratory mice.

Advanced Usage

• In virology and oncology: The term "polyoma virus" is used specifically in scientific contexts to refer to the prototype virus (often called murine polyomavirus) known for its ability to cause a wide range ("poly-") of tumors ("-oma").
  • The discovery of the polyoma virus provided a crucial model for studying viral oncogenesis.

Variants and Related Words

• Polyomavirus (n): The modern taxonomic spelling, often used as one word, referring to any member of the family, which includes viruses that infect various species including humans.
  • BK virus and JC virus are human polyomaviruses.
• Oncovirus (n): A general term for any virus that can cause cancer.
• Simian virus 40 (SV40) (n): A closely related polyomavirus originally found in monkeys.

Synonyms

• Tumor virus: A general synonym for any virus capable of causing tumors.
• Oncogenic virus: A more technical synonym emphasizing the cancer-causing property.

Notes on Meaning

• The primary and most specific meaning of "polyoma virus" refers to the original murine (mouse) virus identified in the 1950s. In broader modern usage, "polyomavirus" (one word) is the standard term for all related viruses in the family, though they may not all be strongly tumorigenic in their natural hosts. The defining historical characteristic of the polyoma virus is its capacity to produce multiple tumor types in experimentally infected mice.

Noun

1. a virus the can initiate various kinds of tumors in mice