Reverse transcriptase

[Webb Howell]

Urgent reply needed:

Does the enzyme reverse transcriptase cause the action of duplicating 
a retrovirus's RNA genome into a DNA version?  Or does a retrovirus 
do that on its on.  Does reverse transcriptase merely insert the DNA
version into the DNA genome of the host cell. 

Some clarification for a paper would be greatly appreciated.

Please send response to:

webb at whowell.pdial.interpath.net

Many, many thanks.

Webb Howell
Duke University