Reverse Transcriptase

REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASE by Saurabh mandal

INTRODUCTIONAn enzyme needed for the replication of retroviruses (e.g., HIV)Generate complementary DNA (cDNA) from an RNA template, a process termed reverse transcriptionsequential biochemical activities: (a) RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (b) ribonuclease H (C) DNA-dependent DNApolymeraseReverse 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 mRNAAntiviral 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 analoguezidovudine (trade name Retrovir)lamivudine (Epivir)tenofovir (Viread)non-nucleoside inhibitors, such as nevirapine (Viramune)