Final answer:
Retroviruses, such as HIV, replicate through a DNA intermediate using the enzyme reverse transcriptase to convert RNA into DNA before integrating into the host genome.
Step-by-step explanation:
Retroviruses replicate through a DNA intermediate. Retroviruses, such as HIV, replicate through a DNA intermediate using the enzyme reverse transcriptase to convert RNA into DNA before integrating into the host genome. This process is facilitated by the viral enzyme reverse transcriptase, which converts the viral RNA into a complementary strand of DNA, known as complementary DNA (cDNA).
This cDNA is then used as a template to form double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) that integrates into the host's genome, becoming a permanent part of the host in the form of a provirus. Unlike DNA viruses that directly use DNA for replication, retroviruses like HIV must first reverse transcribe their RNA genome into DNA.
The integrated DNA is then transcribed to messenger RNA (mRNA) and subsequently translated into viral proteins, which then assemble into new viral particles.