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Updated: May 23, 2026

Determining 3'-Termini and Sequences of Nascent Single-Stranded Viral DNA Molecules during HIV-1 Reverse Transcription in Infected Cells
13:07

Determining 3'-Termini and Sequences of Nascent Single-Stranded Viral DNA Molecules during HIV-1 Reverse Transcription in Infected Cells

Published on: January 30, 2019

DNA polymerization activates RNA cleavage of a reverse transcriptase-like antiviral enzyme

Xuejun Rong1, Jun Xiao2, Xinyuan Zhao1

  • 1Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|May 21, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Defense-associated reverse transcriptases (DRTs) use unique DNA polymerase and exonuclease activities to detect phage infections. This triggers RNA endonuclease activity, degrading RNA to halt infection, revealing a novel nucleic acid defense mechanism.

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