The characteristic of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that makes it different from other RNA viruses is that it:

a. inserts into the DNA of the host

b. can synthesize DNA from an RNA template

c. is infectious as a DNA single-stranded virus

d. causes hepatitis

e. synthesizes mRNA from a DNA double-stranded molecule

Can synthesize DNA from an RNA template. (Ans. B)

Explanation:

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is also known as retrovirus. Which makes it different from other RNA viruses is that, HIV stores its genetic information as ribonucleic acid rather than Deoxyribonucleic acid.

HIV's release it's RNA, when HIV enters a human cells and an enzyme known as reverse transcriptase makes a copy a deoxyribonucleic acid from the HIV ribonucleic acid. This copy of the HIV deoxyribonucleic acid is integrated into the infected cells DNA. This is known as reverse process of which is used by the human cells, that makes RNA copy of DNA.

That's why HIV is known as retrovirus, referring to the backward process.