What does the human immunodeficiency virus use as its genetic material?
RNA – Ribonucleic acid Just to lend weight to this: Our DNA replicates in our cells before cell division in the cell cycle. Also if the body needs a particular protein e.g Insulin, then DNA is transcribed (copied) to produce copy of mRNA (Messenger RNA) coding for Insulin. The mRNA leaves the nucleus for the cytoplasm where Protein synthesis takes place. It’s like a messenger carrying the genetic code for the manufacture of the protein (insulin). The mRNA for insulin undergoes ‘Tlanslation’, simply put it is ‘decoded’ into a insulin ( a protein) on rRNA. (Insulin consist of amino acids 51 in all and each odf whic is denoted by wht is known as a ‘triplet code’ …) So we see thst to produce a protein you need to start with DNA: i.e. DNA to RNA to Protein (Central Dogma of Molecula Biology). The HIV Virus is a rebel!! It defies this dogma by starting from RNA. Remeber A HIV particle consist of RNA surrounded by a protein coart. When you contract it it injects only the RNA part into your
