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Multiple Choice
Which enzyme, isolated from retroviruses, is commonly used to generate complementary DNA (cDNA) from an RNA template?
A
Reverse transcriptase
B
Ligase
C
DNA polymerase I
D
RNA polymerase
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the role of the enzyme in question. The problem asks for an enzyme that generates complementary DNA (cDNA) from an RNA template. This process is known as reverse transcription.
Step 2: Recall the function of reverse transcriptase. Reverse transcriptase is an enzyme commonly isolated from retroviruses, and its primary function is to synthesize cDNA from an RNA template during the replication of retroviral genomes.
Step 3: Compare the functions of the other enzymes listed. Ligase is involved in joining DNA fragments, DNA polymerase I is responsible for DNA synthesis and repair, and RNA polymerase synthesizes RNA from a DNA template. None of these enzymes are involved in reverse transcription.
Step 4: Recognize that reverse transcriptase is unique in its ability to perform reverse transcription, making it the correct enzyme for generating cDNA from RNA.
Step 5: Conclude that the correct answer is reverse transcriptase, as it matches the description provided in the problem and is commonly used in molecular biology for cDNA synthesis.