Reverse transcriptase

Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, also known as RT-PCR, has been recognized as a reliable, accurate, and sensitive method for quantifying gene transcription. Polymerase chain reaction, also known as PCR, is considered an essential tool in molecular biology that allows for the amplification of nucleic acid sequences. Specifically, the three main consecutively repeating steps in PCR are denaturation, annealing, and elongation. If the reaction runs with 100% efficiency, there will be

What exactly is AIDS and how is it different from HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)? AIDS is a severe form of HIV in which someone’s immune system is completely destroyed; HIV is a virus that affects the immune system. In other words, you can have HIV without AIDS, but if you have AIDS, then you automatically have HIV. The origin of HIV is disputed between scientists; some have theorized that it was passed down from apes and somehow transferred between humans. HIV attacks the bloodstream and eliminates

Introduction Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV, is the causative agent of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Currently, there are two types of HIV isolated, HIV-1 and HIV-2, which are both retroviruses and able to perform reverse transcriptase (Leboffe 2011). While HIV-1 is spread throughout the world, HIV-2 is confined to West Africa and is better protective against the progression to AIDS. Genome of HIV-1 only contains nine genes. It is transmitted by body fluids such as blood, breast

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that alters the immune system, making the population with HIV vulnerable to infections and diseases. HIV can be found in the body fluids of an infected person. The virus is passed from one person to another through blood-to-blood and sexual contact. HIV can be transmitted in many ways, such as vaginal, oral sex, anal sex, blood transfusion, and contaminated needles. Patients with HIV cannot clear to virus out of their bodies like most other viruses do

Biologically active compounds found in marine organisms have been extremely useful when combating again human immunodeficiency virus. One compound in particular which is found in sponges, Papuamide A, has been reported to have cytoprotective activity against HIV-1 in-vitro. There are many other representatives that can be found in the same class as Papuamide A; however, due to the slight change in their structure, the way they effect HIV is different. Papuamide A exhibits a potent inhibitory effect

replicate its own genome (Freeman, 2011). Viruses have either a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) genome that affects its specific named genome. Types of RNA viruses include positive strand, negative strand, double strand and RNA transcriptase. RNA viruses have evolved into effective pathogens that mutate at high rates. This allows them an advantage over their host to effectively evade the immune system through several mechanisms, such as mimicry, avoiding cell lysis, and phagocytosis

The Zika virus originates from the Zika forest of Uganda. During a study on yellow fever in 1947, the virus first revealed itself through the blood of a rhesus macaque located inside of the Zika forest. After its discovery, no evidence suggested that the virus could cause human diseases. Nevertheless, serosurveys were conducted in various regions of Uganda. Through these surveys, a 6.1% seroprevalence of antibodies against Zika virus was discovered. This added insight on to the frequency of human

cell. Once an entry is initiated and completed, HIV has the ability to replicate into thousands of copies of itself by using the host cells resources and the RNA. The RNA, which is two stranded, converts into DNA through an enzyme titled reverse transcriptase. When the DNA is set within the host’s genome, it allows replication to occur. Furthermore, the new viral copies are made and the host cell ruptures and dies. As a result, the multiple viruses are released and continue to infect more of

1 Running head: THE ZIKA VIRUS IN BRAZIL 5 THE ZIKA VIRUS IN BRAZIL The Zika Virus in Brazil Larry D. Calender University of South Alabama The Zika Virus in Brazil Global health issues continue to embark on many challenges in the world. These challenges are perpetuated with the decrease in quality of care, morbidity, and mortality for patients. Global health is an exclusively multidisciplinary problem, effecting all society and requiring a comprehensions and collaboration between

with is not the one that continues to affect you. Even more specific, there are different types of RNA viruses – specifically retroviruses. HIV is a retrovirus and it differs from normal RNA viruses because they contain an enzyme known as reverse transcriptase. This enzyme transcribes an RNA template into DNA, opposite of what normally occurs in a replication cycle (Reece et al., 2014). There is viral DNA produced through this method; which then invades the nucleus of the cell and combines itself