REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASE

by
Saurabh mandal

INTRODUCTION

An enzyme needed for the replication of retroviruses (e.g., HIV)

Generate complementary DNA (cDNA) from an RNA template, a

process termed reverse transcription

sequential biochemical activities:

(a) RNA-dependent DNA polymerase
(b) ribonuclease H
(C) DNA-dependent DNA

polymerase

Reverse transcriptases were discovered by Howard Temin at the

University of WisconsinMadison and independently isolated by
David Baltimore in 1970 at MIT from two RNA tumour viruses.

For their achievements, both shared the 1975 Nobel Prize in

Physiology or Medicine (with Renato Dulbecco).

HIV REPLICATION

MECHANISM

APPLICATION

Molecular biology: Reverse transcriptase is commonly used in

research to apply the polymerase chain reaction technique to RNA
in a technique calledreverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
(RT-PCR)

DNA Microarray- to check gene expression level

Reverse transcriptase is used also to create cDNA libraries

from mRNA
Antiviral drugs: specific drugs have been designed to
disrupt the process and thereby suppress its growth.

these drugs are known as reverse

transcriptase inhibitors and
include the nucleoside and
nucleotide analogue

zidovudine (trade name

Retrovir)

lamivudine (Epivir)

tenofovir (Viread)

non-nucleoside inhibitors, such

as nevirapine (Viramune)