HIV is a retrovirus. Which of the following processes does it use to synthesize a DNA strand using its own RNA genome as a template?
*reverse translation
*reverse transcription--------
*translation
*transcription
The process that HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) uses to synthesize a DNA strand using its own RNA genome as a template is called reverse transcription.
To arrive at this answer, we can break down the options:
1. Reverse translation: Reverse translation is not the correct process for HIV to synthesize a DNA strand. Reverse translation refers to the process of translating a protein sequence back into its corresponding DNA sequence, which is the reverse of the standard process of transcription and translation. This process is not utilized by HIV.
2. Reverse transcription: This is the correct process by which HIV synthesizes a DNA strand using its own RNA genome as a template. Reverse transcription is unique to retroviruses, like HIV. It involves the reverse transcription of the viral RNA genome into DNA using the enzyme called reverse transcriptase.
3. Translation: Translation is the process by which genetic information from mRNA is used to synthesize proteins. It occurs in the cytoplasm and is not the correct process for HIV to synthesize a DNA strand.
4. Transcription: Transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template. While this is a general process that occurs in cells, it is not the correct process for HIV to synthesize a DNA strand using its own RNA genome as a template.
Therefore, the correct answer is reverse transcription.