In cha fight against the human immunodeficlency virus (HIV), the etiological agent of AIDS, tha+ 2nzyme reverse rranscriptase CRT) stands out as a prime target for the development of c~* mnt t! cl-ap* utic agd1, 1 s. Thi:; enzyme ca': alyzi's phosphodiester bond formation during the synthesis of a DNA copy of the viral RNA (reverse transcription), and is not found in the noninfected host