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Updated: May 18, 2026

Amplification, Next-generation Sequencing, and Genomic DNA Mapping of Retroviral Integration Sites
Published on: March 22, 2016
Retroviral integrase proteins and HIV-1 DNA integration
Lavanya Krishnan1, Alan Engelman
1Department of Cancer Immunology and AIDS, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
Abstract:
Retroviral integrases catalyze two reactions, 3'-processing of viral DNA ends, followed by integration of the processed ends into chromosomal DNA. X-ray crystal structures of integrase-DNA complexes from prototype foamy virus, a member of the Spumavirus genus of Retroviridae, have revealed the structural basis of integration and how clinically relevant integrase strand transfer inhibitors work. Underscoring the translational potential of targeting virus-host interactions, small molecules that bind at the host factor lens epithelium-derived growth factor/p75-binding site on HIV-1 integrase promote dimerization and inhibit integrase-viral DNA assembly and catalysis. Here, we review recent advances in our knowledge of HIV-1 DNA integration, as well as future research directions.
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