Which statement is true about retroviruses?

Which statement is true about retroviruses?

• A. They replicate without a host cell
• B. They do not require reverse transcription
• C. They infect only bacteria
• D. They synthesize DNA from RNA and can integrate into the host genome

Answer: (D)

Retroviruses carry RNA and rely on reverse transcription to convert that RNA into DNA, which can then be integrated into the host cell’s genome. This integration creates a provirus that uses the host’s transcription and translation machinery to produce viral components, so replication depends on a living cell. This combination—synthesis of DNA from RNA and integration into the host genome—is the hallmark of retroviruses, making the statement that describes this process the correct one. They cannot replicate without a host cell, they do require reverse transcription, and they do not infect only bacteria (that would be characteristic of some bacteriophages).

Retroviruses carry RNA and rely on reverse transcription to convert that RNA into DNA, which can then be integrated into the host cell’s genome. This integration creates a provirus that uses the host’s transcription and translation machinery to produce viral components, so replication depends on a living cell. This combination—synthesis of DNA from RNA and integration into the host genome—is the hallmark of retroviruses, making the statement that describes this process the correct one. They cannot replicate without a host cell, they do require reverse transcription, and they do not infect only bacteria (that would be characteristic of some bacteriophages).