Enzyme responsible for replication of HIV in macrophages is

Options

A. RNA polymerase
B. DNA Ligase
C. DNA polymerase
D. Reverse transcriptase

Answer

To answer the question regarding the enzyme responsible for the replication of HIV in macrophages, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Virus**:
- The virus in question is HIV, which stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is known to cause AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).

2. **Understand the Nature of HIV**:
- HIV is classified as an RNA virus and is also referred to as a retrovirus. This classification is important because it indicates how the virus replicates.

3. **Key Enzyme in HIV Replication**:
- The replication process of HIV involves a specific enzyme known as reverse transcriptase. This enzyme is crucial because it allows the virus to convert its RNA genome into DNA.

4. **Function of Reverse Transcriptase**:
- In typical transcription, DNA is used to synthesize RNA. However, in the case of retroviruses like HIV, reverse transcriptase performs the opposite function: it synthesizes DNA from RNA. This is a key step in the viral replication cycle.

5. **Evaluate the Options**:
- When considering the options provided (RNA Polymerase, DNA Ligase, DNA Polymerase, Reverse Transcriptase), we can eliminate the first three as they are not involved in the replication of HIV. The only correct answer is Reverse Transcriptase.

6. **Final Answer**:
- Therefore, the enzyme responsible for the replication of HIV in macrophages is **Reverse Transcriptase**.