Reverse transcription

Reverse transcription is a biological process that involves the creation of DNA from an RNA template, a process that is the reverse of the usual route of transcription. This process is catalyzed by the enzyme reverse transcriptase.

Process

Reverse transcription begins with the annealing of a primer to the RNA template. This primer is then extended by reverse transcriptase, which adds nucleotides to the 3' end of the primer. The RNA template is then degraded by RNase H, and the newly synthesized DNA is used as a template for the synthesis of the second DNA strand.

Role in Retroviruses

Reverse transcription is a key step in the life cycle of retroviruses, which are RNA viruses that replicate through a DNA intermediate. The reverse transcriptase enzyme is packaged within the viral particle and is released into the host cell upon infection. The enzyme then synthesizes a DNA copy of the viral RNA, which is integrated into the host cell's genome by the viral enzyme integrase.

Applications in Molecular Biology

Reverse transcription is also a common technique in molecular biology, where it is used to generate complementary DNA (cDNA) from an RNA template. This cDNA can then be used for various applications, such as cloning, PCR, and gene expression analysis.

See Also

• Transcription (biology)
• DNA replication
• Retrovirus
• Reverse transcriptase

Reverse transcription Resources
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