Question

A major difference between retrotransposons and HIV is that:

a) retrotransposons can't form infectious particles while HIV can
b) retrotransposons code for reverse transcriptase while HIV does not
c) retrotransposons and HIV do not differ in any major way
d) retrotransposons have repeated sequences at their ends while HIV does not
e) HIV's genetic material only exists as RNA, not DNA

Answer 1

Option 'a' should be correct.

Retrotransposons (also called Class I transposable elements or transposons via RNA intermediates) are a type of genetic component that copy and paste themselves into different genomic locations (transposon) by converting RNA back into DNA through the process reverse transcription using an RNA transposition intermediate.

Through reverse transcription retrotransposons amplify themselves quickly to become abundant in eukaryotic genomes such as maize (49-78%) and humans (42%). They are only present in eukaryotes but share features with retroviruses such as HIV.

There are two main types of retrotransposon, LTR and non-LTRs. Retrotransposons are classified based on sequence and method of transposition.Most retrotransposons in the maize genome are LTR, whereas in humans they are mostly non-LTR. Retrotransposons (mostly of the LTR type) can be passed onto the next generation of a host species through the germline.

And these retrotransposons cant make infectious particle,and both HIV and them have repeated sequence at their ends.