this post was submitted on 02 Feb 2025
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A retrovirus does transcription in the opposite direction. It's RNA genome is used as a template to create DNA which is then used to hijack the host cell and replicate the virus. It's a bit like a cuckoo bird laying it's egg in the host nest, only once that egg hatches it turns the other eggs into cuckoos as well.
Retroviruses were entirely theoretical prior to HIV, as RNA is famous for being unstable. Anyone who has worked in a genetics lab can tell you how big a PITA RNA can be, as even a heavy bump to the lab bench can ruin an experiment.