Abstract: Methods and kits for use in the practice of reverse transcriptase and for one-tube practice of reverse transcriptase and polymerase chain reaction are described. Use of an RNA template having a known conserved area of at least about 40 base pairs, a reverse transcription primer suitable for preparing DNA from the conserved area of said RNA template, and a reverse transcriptase having an elongation rate of at least 40 base pairs per second and a processivity of at least 75 base pairs allows for rapid reverse transcription of the conserved area. Use of PCR primers having 3? ends which are separated by about 1 to about 120 base pairs, DNA polymerase having an elongation rate of at least 60 base pairs per second and a processivity of at least 150 base pairs together with PCR reaction components allows for rapid amplification of DNA corresponding to the conserved area of the RNA.