microbiology an introduction 12th edition test bank Related

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The enzyme required for replication of viral RNA is:

  • A. Reverse transcriptase
  • B. DNA polymerase
  • C. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase
  • D. Ligase
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. This enzyme is required for replicating viral RNA due to its ability to catalyze the synthesis of RNA using an RNA template. Reverse transcriptase (A) is used to transcribe RNA into DNA, not replicate viral RNA. DNA polymerase (B) is used for replicating DNA, not RNA. Ligase (D) is involved in joining DNA fragments, not in replicating viral RNA. Therefore, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase is the only enzyme that specifically performs the function required for replicating viral RNA.