Reverse transcription

Reverse transcription (pronounced: rɪˈvɜːs trɑːnˈskrɪpʃən) is a biological process in which the RNA molecule is converted into DNA by the enzyme reverse transcriptase. This process is essential for the replication of retroviruses, which are RNA viruses that replicate through a DNA intermediate.

Etymology

The term "reverse transcription" comes from the fact that this process is the reverse of the usual method of transcription in living organisms, where DNA is transcribed into RNA. The prefix "reverse" indicates the opposite direction of this process, and "transcription" refers to the process of creating an RNA copy of a DNA sequence.

Process

Reverse transcription begins when the reverse transcriptase enzyme binds to the RNA molecule. The enzyme then synthesizes a DNA strand complementary to the RNA template, creating a DNA-RNA hybrid molecule. The RNA strand is then degraded and a second DNA strand is synthesized, resulting in a double-stranded DNA molecule.

Related Terms

Retrovirus: A type of virus that uses reverse transcription to replicate.
Reverse Transcriptase: The enzyme that catalyzes the process of reverse transcription.
DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that carries genetic information in living organisms.
RNA: Ribonucleic acid, a molecule similar to DNA that plays several important roles in coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes.

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Reverse transcription
Wikipedia's article - Reverse transcription

This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.

Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski

Reverse transcription