The enzyme reverse transcriptase
A) synthesizes DNA from a DNA template of the same polarity.
B) synthesizes DNA from an RNA template.
C) synthesizes RNA from an RNA template.
D) synthesizes RNA from a DNA template.
E) can synthesize DNA or RNA from an RNA template.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Reverse transcriptase is an enzyme that can synthesize DNA from an RNA template. This is a unique feature of the enzyme, and the reason it is called "reverse" transcriptase. This process is important for certain viral life cycles, and it is also used in molecular biology research techniques such as reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

The Enzyme Reverse Transcriptase