Animation - cDNA

How can molecular biologists synthesize DNA from RNA? In most cells RNA is synthesized from DNA. The different types of RNA are each used perform specific functions associated with protein synthesis. Placing functional genes from eukaryotes into prokaryotic cells requires creating DNA from mRNA that has had its introns excised. How do molecular biologists accomplish this? The enzyme reverse transcriptase is used. Reverse transcriptase is produced by certain types of viruses. The viruses contain RNA and create DNA that is used to produce more viruses. Reverse transcriptase’s unusual property of creating DNA from RNA has been exploited by biologists to create intron-free eukaryotic DNA for insertion into prokaryotic genomes.

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