Reverse transcriptase is an enzyme that performs reverse transcription, producing DNA from RNA. It is also called RNA-dependent DNA polymerase.
This enzyme allows for a unique condition, as transcription occurs naturally from RNA to DNA.
Reverse transcriptase is found in retroviruses. An example of a retrovirus is HIV, which causes AIDS.
Reverse Transcriptase Action
Reverse transcriptase allows the transcription of information towards RNA for DNA.
As we know, the virus they only reproduce within a living cell, which serves as a host. Inside these cells, the RNA of a retrovirus is used as a template for making the DNA, due to the action of reverse transcriptase.
DNA is formed in single strand and after its formation the RNA is degraded. Thus, the single-stranded DNA is free in the cytoplasm. Reverse transcriptase turns this single strand of DNA into a double helix.
This formed DNA is integrated with the host cell's DNA, with the help of the enzyme integrase.
Thus, the production of viral proteins and the formation of new viral RNAs takes place. At that moment, the enzyme comes into action
protease. It is responsible for breaking down the viral precursor protein into smaller, mature proteins. RNA and proteins are released to infect other cells.Reverse transcriptase, integrase and protease are enzymes present in retroviruses.
This mechanism occurs in virus infection HIV, a retrovirus, cause of AIDS.
In Molecular Biology, the action of reverse transcriptase allows the construction of complementary DNA strands (cDNA), also from RNA. This enables the technique of RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction), used to study gene expression.
Learn more about Enzymes.
Curiosities
Drugs to fight the HIV virus act as inhibitors of the enzymes reverse transcriptase, integrase and protease. By inhibiting the action of these enzymes, the drugs prevent the virus from multiplying.
