Question

Most organisms use DNA as their genetic material. RNA viruses are able to use RNA instead.What molecular mechanisms allow these viruses to use RNA as their genetic material instead of DNA?

Answer 1

Reverse transcription

Step-by-step explanation:

Some viruses such as HIV have RNA as genetic material. In them RNA stores genetic information. These viruses are called retroviruses. They are known as retroviruses because they have the enzyme reverse transcriptase. During protein synthesis, they use RNA as a template to synthesise complimentary DNA with the help of reverse transcriptase. Thus central dogma is as follows:

RNA ⇒ DNA ⇒ mRNA ⇒ protein

Reverse transcription ⇒ Transcription ⇒ translation