InterPro: IPR015706 RNA-directed DNA polymerase (reverse transcriptase), related

The retroviral genome is characterised by the presence of three canonical genes gag, pol, and env. The products of these genes are synthesized as a single precursor gag-pol-env that is proteolytically processed into individual protein components. The gag gene encodes the major structural proteins that make up the viral capsid; pol encodes enzymatic proteins including protease (PR), reverse transcriptase (RT), and integrase (IN); and env encodes surface proteins that make up the viral envelope [1, 2]. Reverse transcriptase (RT) is a polymerase that uses an RNA template to produce DNA. RT is used by retroviruses and other retroid elements to produce a DNA copy of a genome or gene that can be integrated into host chromosomes. Members of this subfamily are endogenous reverse transcriptases found in eukaryotic genomes [3].