The invention relates to compositions comprising mixtures of polypeptides having
reverse transcriptase (RT) activity and to methods of producing, amplifying or
sequencing nucleic acid molecules using these compositions or polypeptides, particularly
at temperatures above about 55 C. The invention also relates to nucleic acid
molecules produced by these methods, to vectors and host cells comprising these
nucleic acid molecules, and use of such nucleic acid molecules to produce desired
polypeptide. The invention also relates to methods for producing Avian Sarcoma-Leukosis
Virus (ASLV) RT subunits, in particular, Avian Myeloblastosis Virus (AMV) RTs,
to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding ASLV RT subunits, and to ASLV RT subunits
produced by these methods. The invention further relates to nucleic acid molecules
encoding recombinant RT holoenzymes, particularly ASLV RTs, methods for producing
these RTs and to RTs produced by these methods. The invention also relates to kits
comprising the compositions, polypeptides, and ASLV RTs of the invention.