Question

At which step during retrovirus life cycle does genomic viral RNA get converted to DNA? In which compartment of the host cell does this take place? What enzymes are resposible for stable inheritance of new viral molecule? In which compartment of host cell does this later reaction take place?

Answer 1

At step four of retrovirus life cycle , which is replication, which occurs after the retrovirus has undergone partial uncoating. At this stage the RNA genome is converted by the reverse transcriptase into double stranded DNA. This DNA is called as proviral DNA.

This replication takes place in the host cell cytoplasm.

The retroviral integrases enzymes are virally encoded, specialized recombinases that catalyse the insertion of viral DNA into the host cell's DNA, a process that is essential for virus propagation. This process takes place in nucleus of the host cell.