Reconstitution and visualization of HIV-1 capsid-dependent replication and integration in vitro

HIV-1 replication and integration in vitro To infect a host cell, HIV-1 must reverse transcribe its single-stranded RNA genome into a double-stranded DNA copy and integrate that copy into a host chromosome. Reverse transcription and integration have been characterized separately but have not been reconstituted together outside of the cell. Christensenet al. now report that viral core particles can complete full reverse transcription and integration in a cell-free system. The external capsid shell of the core is required for efficient reverse transcription, and the replicating DNA can loop out of capsid openings. Integration requires cell extract, and this cell-free system should be useful for analyzing how host factors contribute to the first half of the HIV life cycle.Science , this issue p.eabc8420