Question

What does the enzyme reverse transcriptase do?

Answer 1

Hint: Enzymes are chemical substances that are produced in both plant and animal bodies. They play the role of a catalyst in several metabolic reactions of the body. They are secreted through the duct bearing endocrine glands.

Complete answer:
Reverse transcriptase is an enzyme that activates the metabolic reactions of retroviruses. Those viruses that spread in the host body by forming complementary DNAs with the help of genetic material present in its RNA are called retroviruses. The complementary DNA thus formed changes the genomic arrangement of the host cell and thus, starts manufacturing multiple copies of the virus.
In this process of transcription of RNA (of retrovirus) into DNA (of the host cell), the reverse transcriptase enzyme plays a role of catalyst thus, imparting an infectious nature to the virus. It is important to note that every DNA strand is formed out of the transcription taking place in the RNA. This enzyme, reverse transcriptase, reverses this transcription process such that DNA gets converted into RNA or single stranded DNA. This newly formed RNA now hijacks the activities of the entire cell thus, making it a manufacturing hub for new viruses.

Note:
This enzyme is called so because it works exactly like the reversed transcription process of DNA. This reversal transcription quality of viruses is used by scientists to detect and analyze the virus. It is commonly termed as RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction).