The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)uses RNA,rather than DNA,to encode genetic information.During infection,however,HIV uses an enzyme known as reverse transcriptase to generate double-stranded DNA.Generally speaking,how would the enzyme generate a double strand of DNA from a single strand of RNA?
A)Reverse transcriptase first catalyzes the synthesis of a DNA copy from the viral RNA,and then catalyzes the synthesis of a second strand of DNA complementary to the first one.
B)Reverse transcriptase first catalyzes the synthesis of a RNA copy from the viral DNA,and then catalyzes the synthesis of a second strand of DNA complementary to the first one.
C)Reverse transcriptase first catalyzes the synthesis of a DNA copy from the viral RNA,and then catalyzes the synthesis of a second strand of DNA from the viral RNA.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Reverse transcriptase first synthesizes a DNA copy from the viral RNA template using the enzyme's reverse transcriptase activity. Once a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) intermediate is produced, reverse transcriptase then utilizes the ssDNA as a template to synthesize a second strand of DNA using the enzyme's DNA polymerase activity. This results in the formation of a double-stranded DNA molecule that can subsequently integrate into the host cell genome.

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)uses RNA,rather Than DNA,to Encode Genetic