CaMV 35S

CaMV stands for Cauliflower Mosaic Virus which is a pararetrovirus (reverse transcribing viruses because they replicate through an RNA intermediate) that infect plants. Pararetrovirus replicate through reverse transcription (Creates single stranded DNA from an RNA) but the viral particles contain DNA instead of RNA. CaMV induces a variety of systemic symptoms such as mosaic (irregular leaf mottling), necrotic lesions on leaf surface, stunted growth, and deformation of the overall plant structure. Basically scientist modified this horrible virus to make it easier for them to infect a plant with a genetic mutation to alter the state in which the plant will grow into. CaMV 35S is used in most transgenic crops to activate foreign genes which have been artificially inserted into the plant. This enables the plant to operate in a wide range of host-organism environments which otherwise not be possible.

(The Science Creative Quarterly)