title: Retroviral reverse transcriptases.
abstract: Reverse transcription is a critical step in the life cycle of all retroviruses and related retrotransposons. This complex process is performed exclusively by the retroviral reverse transcriptase (RT) enzyme that converts the viral single-stranded RNA into integration-competent double-stranded DNA. Although all RTs have similar catalytic activities, they significantly differ in several aspects of their catalytic properties, their structures and subunit composition. The RT of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1), the virus causing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), is a prime target for the development of antiretroviral drug therapy of HIV-1/AIDS carriers. Therefore, despite the fundamental contributions of other RTs to the understanding of RTs and retrovirology, most recent RT studies are related to HIV-1 RT. In this review we summarize the basic properties of different RTs. These include, among other topics, their structures, enzymatic activities, interactions with both viral and host proteins, RT inhibition and resistance to antiretroviral drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Alon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herschhorn
authors.forename: Amnon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hizi
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006678:HIV / Q000378:metabolism; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009052:Leukemia Virus, Murine / Q000201:enzymology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000378:metabolism*; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000201:enzymology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase