Explain RNA replication.

<font face="Arial Narrow">RNA replication is the process by which new copies of genome-length RNAs are made
RNA replication occurs in the cytoplasm and is carried out by the viral RNA polymerase.
The full length plus strand is coated with nucleocapsid protein as it is made (mRNAs are not coated with this protein, which would interfere with the host protein translation machinery).</font>

<font face="Arial Narrow">The new positive strand is copied into full length minus strand, which is also coated with nucleocapsid protein as it is made. (Note: since the viral RNA polymerase synthesizes  mRNAs (transcription) and full-length RNA (replication), it is also sometimes called a transcriptase or a replicase, such names just focus on the different aspects of the polymerase activity.)</font>