Final answer:
Retroviral genes are not monocistronic; they are polycistronic, meaning one mRNA can code for multiple proteins.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that retroviral genes are monocistronic is false. Retroviruses, such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), possess polycistronic mRNA, which means that their mRNA can code for multiple proteins. This is unlike many eukaryotic mRNAs, which are typically monocistronic. Retroviruses, upon infecting a host cell, use reverse transcriptase to convert their RNA into DNA. The viral DNA can then integrate into the host genome and be transcribed into polycistronic mRNA. This mRNA is subsequently translated into various viral proteins necessary for the assembly of new viral particles.