Most RNA viruses carry a gene for an enzyme that uses viral RNA as a template in the synthesis of more viral RNA. This enzyme is

Correct answer: C. RNA polymerase

  • A. RNA primase
  • B. Reverse transcriptase
  • C. RNA polymerase
  • D. Viral nuclease

Explanation

The correct option is RNA polymerase. Most RNA viruses carry a gene for the enzyme RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which uses viral RNA as a template to synthesize new RNA molecules. This enzyme is essential because host cells cannot normally replicate RNA directly from an RNA template. RdRp allows RNA viruses to produce both complementary RNA strands and multiple copies of their genome, enabling them to replicate and spread within the host. Other enzymes listed, such as viral nuclease, reverse transcriptase, and RNA primase, serve different functions and are not responsible for RNA-to-RNA synthesis in RNA viruses.

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