Method of performing reverse transcription reaction using reverse transcriptase encoded by non-LTR retrotransposable element

1. A method of preparing a cDNA molecule comprising:

contacting an RNA molecule, in the presence of dNTPs, with a non-LTR retrotransposon protein or polypeptide having reverse transcriptase activity, wherein the non-LTR retrotransposon protein or polypeptide is an R2 protein or polypeptide, under conditions effective for production of a cDNA molecule complementary to the RNA molecule, said contacting being carried out in the absence of a target DNA molecule of the non-LTR retrotransposon protein or polypeptide; and

isolating the cDNA molecule.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the R2 protein or polypeptide is derived from an arthropod.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the RNA molecule lacks a primer site to initiate reverse transcription.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the RNA molecule lacks a polyadenylation region.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said contacting is carried out in the presence of both a donor RNA molecule having a known sequence and an acceptor RNA molecule having a known sequence.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said contacting is carried out in the presence of a donor RNA molecule having a known sequence.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said contacting is carried out in the presence of an acceptor RNA molecule having a known sequence.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said contacting is carried out under isothermic conditions.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said contacting is carried out at a temperature of between about 20° C. and about 40° C.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the RNA molecule includes a structure or an annealed duplex region that would interfere with retroviral reverse transcriptase function.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said contacting is carried out under conditions whereby a significant portion of the isolated cDNA molecules are substantially full length reverse transcripts of the RNA molecule.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the RNA molecule includes a polyadenylated region, the method further comprising:

annealing a primer to the polyadenylated region of the RNA molecule prior to said contacting.

13. A method of amplifying a cDNA molecule comprising:

performing the method of claim 1 to obtain a single-stranded cDNA molecule that includes a region of interest;

annealing a first primer to the single-stranded cDNA molecule at a position 3′ of the region of interest; and

extending the first primer to form a complementary DNA strand including a complement of the region of interest.

14. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the arthropod is Bombyx mori.

15. A method of amplifying a cDNA molecule comprising:

performing the method according to claim 5 to obtain a single-stranded cDNA molecule that includes a region of interest, a region complementary to the donor RNA 5′ of the region of interest, and a region complementary to the acceptor RNA 3′ of the region of interest;

annealing a first primer to the single-stranded cDNA molecule at a position 3′ of the region of interest; and

extending the first primer to form a complementary DNA strand including a complement of the region of interest.

16. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said contacting is carried out at a temperature of between about 21° C. and about 35° C.

17. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said contacting is carried out in the presence of an acceptor RNA molecule having a known nucleotide sequence.

18. A method of amplifying a cDNA molecule comprising:

performing the method according to claim 17 to obtain a single-stranded cDNA molecule that includes a region of interest, an oligoT region 5′ of the region of interest, and a region complementary to the acceptor RNA 3′ of the region of interest;

annealing a first primer to the single-stranded cDNA molecule at a position 3′ of the region of interest; and

extending the first primer to form a complementary DNA strand including a complement of the region of interest.

19. The method according to claim 13 further comprising:

dissociating the complementary DNA strand from the single-stranded cDNA molecule;

annealing a second primer to the complementary DNA strand molecule at a position 3′ of the complement of the region of interest; and

extending the second primer to form a second complementary DNA strand which is substantially the same as the single-stranded cDNA molecule at the region of interest.

20. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said performing is carried out under conditions effective for the non-LTR retrotransposon protein or polypeptide to jump from the RNA molecule to an acceptor RNA molecule having a known sequence, the single-stranded cDNA molecule comprising a first portion complementary to the RNA molecule and a second portion complementary to the acceptor RNA molecule, the second portion being located 3′ of the first portion.

21. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said performing is carried out under conditions effective for the non-LTR retrotransposon protein or polypeptide to jump from a donor RNA molecule having a known sequence to the RNA molecule, the single-stranded cDNA molecule comprising a first portion complementary to the donor RNA molecule and a second portion complementary to the RNA molecule, the second portion being located 3′ of the first portion.

22. The method according to claim 13 further comprising:

exposing the single-stranded cDNA molecule to a terminal transferase in the presence of dCTPs to form an oligoC tail at the 3′ end of the single-stranded cDNA molecule.

23. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said performing is carried out under isothermic conditions.

24. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said performing is carried out at a temperature of between about 20° C. and about 40° C.

25. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said performing is carried out at a temperature of between about 21° C. and about 35° C.

26. The method according to claim 19 further comprising:

dissociating the second complementary DNA strand from the complementary DNA strand; and

repeating said annealing and extending of the first and second primers, using the second complementary DNA strand, to form third and fourth complementary DNA strands, the third complementary DNA strand being substantially the same as the first complementary strand and the fourth complementary DNA strand being substantially the same as the second complementary strand.

27. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the primer anneals to the second portion of the single-stranded cDNA molecule.

28. The method according to claim 22 , wherein said exposing is carried out prior to said annealing the first primer and the first primer anneals to the oligoC tail.

29. The method according to claim 15 further comprising:

dissociating the complementary DNA strand from the single-stranded cDNA molecule;

annealing a second primer to the complementary DNA strand molecule at a position 3′ of the complement of the region of interest; and

extending the second primer to form a second complementary DNA strand which is substantially the same as the single-stranded cDNA molecule at the region of interest.

30. The method according to claim 29 further comprising:

dissociating the second complementary DNA strand from the complementary DNA strand; and

repeating said annealing and extending of the first and second primers, using the second complementary DNA strand, to form third and fourth complementary DNA strands, the third complementary DNA strand being substantially the same as the first complementary strand and the fourth complementary DNA strand being substantially the same as the second complementary strand.

31. The method according to claim 18 further comprising:

dissociating the complementary DNA strand from the single-stranded cDNA molecule;

annealing a second primer to the complementary DNA strand molecule at a position 3′ of the complement of the region of interest; and

extending the second primer to form a second complementary DNA strand which is substantially the same as the single-stranded cDNA molecule at the region of interest.

32. The method according to claim 31 further comprising:

dissociating the second complementary DNA strand from the complementary DNA strand; and

repeating said annealing and extending of the first and second primers, using the second complementary DNA strand, to form third and fourth complementary DNA strands, the third complementary DNA strand being substantially the same as the first complementary strand and the fourth complementary DNA strand being substantially the same as the second complementary strand.