HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Corrigendum (v74,p2037) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cook, P. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cook, P. R. Agricola Articles by Cook, P. R.

A model for reverse transcription by a dimeric enzyme

Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, U.K.

A speculative model for reverse transcription of a viral RNA template into proviral dsDNA is presented. It has two essential features that are not included in current models: (i) the functional complex is dimeric, with two polymerization/RNase H sites and (ii) two templates are initially attached to the complex at their 3' ends. The model also has the optional features that (iii) the complex is rotationally symmetrical and (iv) attached to the virion core. The model attempts to explain why the viral genome is dimeric, the specificity of the ‘jumps’ between the ends of templates and how recombination occurs so readily. It also suggests novel targets for drug therapy during retroviral infection, for example, in AIDS.

Received 22 September 1992; accepted 24 November 1992.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. R. Cook The Organization of Replication and Transcription Science, June 11, 1999; 284(5421): 1790 - 1795. [Abstract] [Full Text]