Reverse transcriptase

[Franck Brunel]

>Subject:       Re: Reverse transcriptase
 
> You are correct, it would be ridiculous for the cell to have reverse
> transcriptase around-

>Really?  Funny, that - E coli strains and a number of other related
>bacteria (as well as some Archaea) have reverse transcriptases as
>part of VERY strange little retrotranspoable elements.  And
>retroposons, etc - which are not very retrovirus-like - also have
>reverse transcriptases.

To the Group-
    
		Sorry for the oversimplification on my part-I only meant that it would 
not make sense for the cell to have an rt for every separate incoming 
virus to employ, not that they didn't exist at some level.

	This raises a separate question I've had for a while, since there are 
rt or rt-like enzymes found in some cells, how specific are they? Are 
they specific for sequences or do they employ proteins as specificity 
factors? 

	Lastly, please use the address below for answers, comments, flames, 
etc. Thanks
                            -Sean

--
Sean Stevens: The Rockefeller University, New York, USA. 
stevens at rockvax.rockefeller.edu