Abstract
Reverse transcriptases (RT) are RNA-dependent DNA polymerases which were discovered in retroviruses more than 20 years ago by Baltimore (1970) and Temin and Mitzutami (1970). During the life cycle of retroviruses, the viral RNA genome in copied to a double-stranded DNA by the viral encoded RT. Subsequently, the DNA copy of the virus is incorporated into the host genomic DNA of infected cells. The transcription of the integrated viral DNA can be considered an amplification step, generating multiple copies of RNA containing the viral genome. Retroviruses have been found only in vertebrates. Since the discovery of RTs in retroviruses, many other genetic elements encoding RTs have been identified in a great variety of organisms. They have been designated retroelements mainly on their sequence similarity to retroviral reverse transcriptases (Doolittle et al. 1989; Xiong and Eickbush 1990). Retroelements include hepanoviruses from animals, caulimoviruses from plants, transposable elements from animals, plants and fungi, as well as group II introns and plasmids found in eukaryotic organelles. A comprehensive survey was published recently by Xiong and Eickbush (1990). According to Temin (1989), four different retroelements can be distinguished: retrotransposons, retroposons, retrons and retrosequences (Fig. 1). Retrotransposons and retroposons have been found in a great number of eukaryotes. Usually they carry two protein-encoding genes. The pol-gene encodes a multifunctional polypeptide with reverse transcriptase as well as a protease and endonuclease activity. The second gene, the gag-gene, encodes a DNA-binding group specific antigen (gag). In contrast to retroposons, retrotransposons are flanked by two long terminal repeats (LTRs) (for review see Boeke and Corces 1989). In addition to the pol- and gag-genes, retroviruses possess the env-gene which encodes an envelope polypeptide. This polypeptide is responsible for the infectivity of viruses, a property not found in retrotransposons and retroposons (reviewed by Varmus and Brown 1989).
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Fassbender, S., Kück, U. (1995). Reverse Transcriptase Activities in Mycelial Fungi. In: Kück, U. (eds) Genetics and Biotechnology. The Mycota, vol 2. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-10364-7_15
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