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Multiple Choice
Which of the following is a novel enzyme found in retroviruses?
A
RNA polymerase
B
Ligase
C
DNA polymerase
D
Reverse transcriptase
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the context of the question. Retroviruses are a class of viruses that have RNA as their genetic material and use a unique mechanism to replicate within host cells.
Step 2: Learn about the novel enzyme associated with retroviruses. Retroviruses use an enzyme called reverse transcriptase to convert their RNA genome into DNA, which can then integrate into the host genome.
Step 3: Compare the given enzyme options. RNA polymerase is responsible for synthesizing RNA from a DNA template, ligase is involved in joining DNA strands, and DNA polymerase synthesizes DNA from a DNA template. None of these enzymes perform the RNA-to-DNA conversion required by retroviruses.
Step 4: Focus on reverse transcriptase. This enzyme is unique to retroviruses and is essential for their replication cycle. It catalyzes the reverse transcription process, converting RNA into complementary DNA (cDNA).
Step 5: Conclude that reverse transcriptase is the correct answer because it is the novel enzyme that distinguishes retroviruses from other types of viruses.