Structure and function of nucleoprotein complexes involved in retroviral integration KU Leuven
Upon infection, a retrovirus aims to insert its genome into the host DNA. This process, commonly referred to as “integration”, is catalysed by the retroviral integrase enzyme (IN). The property to introduce foreign DNA into a host genome is at the basis of gene therapy applications, and provides a means for pathogenic retroviruses (such as the human immunodeficiency virus HIV) to hijack the cellular transcription machinery. In these contexts, ...