Reverse transcriptase

About: Reverse transcriptase is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 10906 publications have been published within this topic receiving 433517 citations. The topic is also known as: RNA revertase & deoxynucleoside-triphosphate:DNA deoxynucleotidyltransferase (RNA-directed).

Differential Display of Eukaryotic Messenger RNA by Means of the Polymerase Chain Reaction

Abstract: Effective methods are needed to identify and isolate those genes that are differentially expressed in various cells or under altered conditions. This report describes a method to separate and clone individual messenger RNAs (mRNAs) by means of the polymerase chain reaction. The key element is to use a set of oligonucleotide primers, one being anchored to the polyadenylate tail of a subset of mRNAs, the other being short and arbitrary in sequence so that it anneals at different positions relative to the first primer. The mRNA subpopulations defined by these primer pairs were amplified after reverse transcription and resolved on a DNA sequencing gel. When multiple primer sets were used, reproducible patterns of amplified complementary DNA fragments were obtained that showed strong dependence on sequence specificity of either primer.

Detection and isolation of type C retrovirus particles from fresh and cultured lymphocytes of a patient with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Abstract: Retrovirus particles with type C morphology were found in two T-cell lymphoblastoid cell lines, HUT 102 and CTCL-3, and in fresh peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained from a patient with a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (mycosis fungoides). The cell lines continuously produce these viruses, which are collectively referred to as HTLV, strain CR(HTLVCR). Originally, the production of virus from HUT 102 cells required induction with 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine, but the cell line became a constitutive producer of virus at its 56th passage. Cell line CTCL-3 has been a constitutive producer of virus from its second passage in culture. Both mature and immature extracellular virus particles were seen in thin-section electron micrographs of fixed, pelleted cellular material; on occasion, typical type C budding virus particles were seen. No form of intracellular virus particle has been seen. Mature particles were 100-110 nm in diameter, consisted of an electron-dense core surrounded by an outer membrane separated by an electron-lucent region, banded at a density of 1.16 g/ml on a continuous 25-65% sucrose gradient, and contained 70S RNA and a DNA polymerase activity typical of viral reverse transcriptase (RT; RNA-dependent DNA nucleotidyltransferase). Under certain conditions of assay, HTLVCR RT showed cation preference for Mg2+ over Mn2+, distinct from the characteristics of cellular DNA polymerases purified from human lymphocytes and the RT from most type C viruses. Antibodies to cellular DNA polymerase γ and anti-bodies against RT purified from several animal retroviruses failed to detectably interact with HTLVCR RT under conditions that were positive for the respective homologous DNA polymerase, demonstrating a lack of close relationship of HTLVCR RT to cellular DNA polymerases γ or RT of these viruses. Six major proteins, with sizes of approximately 10,000, 13,000, 19,000, 24,000, 42,000, and 52,000 daltons, were apparent when doubly banded, disrupted HTLVCR particles were chromatographed on a NaDodSO4/polyacrylamide gel. The number of these particle-associated proteins is consistent with the expected proteins of a retrovirus, but the sizes of some are distinct from those of most known retroviruses of the primate subgroups.

Rapid detection and typing of dengue viruses from clinical samples by using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.

Abstract: We report on the development and application of a rapid assay for detecting and typing dengue viruses. Oligonucleotide consensus primers were designed to anneal to any of the four dengue virus types and amplify a 511-bp product in a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). First, we produced a cDNA copy of a portion of the viral genome in a reverse transcriptase reaction in the presence of primer D2 and then carried out a standard PCR (35 cycles of heat denaturation, annealing, and primer extension) with the addition of primer D1. The resulting double-stranded DNA product of the RT-PCR was typed by two methods: dot blot hybridization of the 511-bp amplified product to dengue virus type-specific probes or a second round of PCR amplification (nested PCR) with type-specific primers, yielding DNA products the unique sizes of which were diagnostic for each dengue virus serotype. The accumulated data demonstrated that dengue viruses can be accurately detected and typed from viremic human serum samples.

Polymerase chain reaction amplification and typing of rotavirus nucleic acid from stool specimens.

Abstract: The rotavirus gene segment coding for the major outer capsid glycoprotein vp7 was amplified directly from stool specimens by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Double-stranded RNA extracted from stool samples was used as the template for reverse transcription, which was followed immediately and in the same reaction mix with amplification, using the Taq polymerase. Various conditions were examined to optimize the yield of the amplified gene. The concentrations of MgCl2, dimethyl sulfoxide, and template RNA were critical. The choice of primer pairs allowed amplification of the entire segment or specific portions. By using type-specific primers derived from distinct regions on the gene, we devised a PCR typing method in which each human serotype virus produced a characteristic segment size, readily identifiable in agarose gels. The PCR typing method was applied to 10 rotavirus reference strains, including all 6 known human serotypes (serotypes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 9), and to 34 stool specimens previously serotyped by an enzyme immunoassay with monoclonal antibodies. An absolute correlation was found between the molecular and serologic methods. In addition, 14 stool specimens nonserotypable by an enzyme immunoassay with monoclonal antibodies could be typed by the PCR method. Besides the application for rotavirus detection and typing directly from stools, the PCR method provides a rapid and efficient means of obtaining large quantities of cDNA suitable for sequencing, cloning, and other genetic studies, precluding the need for cell culture and virus purification.