Viruses and Polymerases

[Jbarrie]

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Does a virus use an rna dependent rna polymerase or a dna dependent rna polymerase? Please explain why. For some reason I am having a hard time wrapping my head around these terms and their meaning. Thanks in advance.

 

[lumpyduster]

I'm not sure. I just understand that DNA dependent RNA pol makes RNA from DNA. RNA dep RNA pol makes RNA copies of RNA. So viruses can be either?

They either have DNA that is transcribed/translated by the cell's machinery (in the nucleus), or their own (in the cytoplasm). Or they have RNA and they bring their own RNA pol to make copies of the RNA that can later be translated, or if they don't have their own RNA pol, they will use reverse transcriptase to make DNA, which is then transcribed/translated by the cell.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong/misunderstood something!

 

[SN2ed]

Thread closed. These types of questions belong in the MCAT Study Q&A forum.