A retrovirus is an RNA that uses the host to make it's corresponding DNA.
White blood cells--which HIV takes over--don't contain DNA building blocks (dNTP) because white blood cells don't replicate. So HIV can't make it's corresponding DNA.
Instead, it just replicates using rNTP to produce more RNA. I think (correct me if I'm wrong) rNTP is available because it's used in ATP synthesis.
White blood cells--which HIV takes over--don't contain DNA building blocks (dNTP) because white blood cells don't replicate. So HIV can't make it's corresponding DNA.
Instead, it just replicates using rNTP to produce more RNA. I think (correct me if I'm wrong) rNTP is available because it's used in ATP synthesis.