RNase H performs three types of cleaving actions: non-specific degradation of the plus-strand RNA genome, specific removal of the minus-strand tRNA primer, and removal of the plus-strand purine-rich polypurine tract (PPT) primer. RNase H plays a role in the priming of the plus-strand, but not in the conventional method of synthesizing a new primer sequence. Rather RNase H creates a "primer" from the PPT that is resistant to RNase H cleavage. By removing all bases but the PPT, the PPT is used as a marker for the end of the U3 region of its long terminal repeat.