Using Reverse Transcriptase

Question 1

What is the role of reverse transcriptase in retroviruses?

Answer 1

Reverse transcriptase catalyses the production of dna from the virus’s RNA inside a host cell

Question 2

Why is reverse transcriptase named as such?

Answer 2

It performs the reverse of the usual transcription process by synthesising DNA from RNA instead of RNA from DNA

Question 3

Outline the full process of using reverse transcriptase to produce a DNA fragment:

Answer 3

1. A cell that readily produces a lot of mRNA and desired protein is selected
2. mRNA acts as a templated to make complementary DNA (cDNA) using reverse transcriptase
3. Complementary DNA is isolated by hydrolysis of the mRNA with DNA polymerase
4. Double stranded DNA is formed on the template of the complementary DNA using DNA polymerase
5. Double strand of DNA is produced, containing the required gene