In the fields of molecular biology and biochemistry, a reverse transcriptase, also known as RNA-dependent DNA polymerase, is a DNA polymerase enzyme that transcribes single-stranded RNA into double-stranded DNA. It also helps in the formation of a double helix DNA once the RNA has been reverse transcribed into a single strand cDNA. Normal transcription involves the synthesis of RNA from DNA, hence, reverse transcription is the reverse of this. Alternative Names: Human Immunodeficiency virus Type 2 Reverse Transcriptase ROD protein, HIV2RT ROD protein, HIV-1 RT protein, HIV-2 Reverse Transcriptase protein, HIV 1-RT, HIV1-RT, HIV-1 RT, HIV2 RT protein, HIV 1-RT protein