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A reverse transcriptase (RT) is an enzyme used to convert RNA genome to DNA, a process termed reverse transcription.Reverse transcriptases are used by viruses such as HIV, COVID-19, and hepatitis B to replicate their genomes, by retrotransposon mobile genetic elements to proliferate within the host genome, and by eukaryotic cells to extend the telomeres at the ends of their linear chromosomes.
Telomerase reverse transcriptase (abbreviated to TERT, or hTERT in humans) is a catalytic subunit of the enzyme telomerase, which, together with the telomerase RNA component (TERC), comprises the most important unit of the telomerase complex. [5] [6] Telomerases are part of a distinct subgroup of RNA-dependent polymerases.
Once a one-step RT-PCR kit with a mix of reverse transcriptase, Taq DNA polymerase, and a proofreading polymerase is selected and all necessary materials and equipment are obtained a reaction mix is to be prepared. The reaction mix includes dNTPs, primers, template RNA, necessary enzymes, and a buffer solution.
Through reverse transcription, retrotransposons amplify themselves quickly to become abundant in eukaryotic genomes such as maize (49–78%) [3] and humans (42%). [4] They are only present in eukaryotes but share features with retroviruses such as HIV, for example, discontinuous reverse transcriptase-mediated extrachromosomal recombination. [5] [6]
The resulting DNA can be merged with the DNA genome of the host cell. The main enzyme responsible for synthesis of DNA from an RNA template is called reverse transcriptase. [65] In the case of HIV, reverse transcriptase is responsible for synthesizing a complementary DNA strand (cDNA) to the viral RNA genome.
The Hepatitis B virus (HBV) polymerase is a multifunctional enzyme, with both RNA-dependent and DNA-dependent polymerase functions, as well as an RNase H function. It acts on the HBV pre-genomic RNA (pgRNA) to reverse transcribe it to form a new rcDNA molecule within a new capsid.
Reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (RTIs) are a class of antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV infection or AIDS, and in some cases hepatitis B. RTIs inhibit activity of reverse transcriptase , a viral DNA polymerase that is required for replication of HIV and other retroviruses .
The reverse transcriptase of HIV-1 has been the main foundation for the development of anti-HIV drugs. [5] The first nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor with in vitro anti-HIV activity was zidovudine. [6] Since zidovudine was approved in 1987, six nucleosides and one nucleotide reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) have been approved by ...