Figure 1

Pre-integration steps of HIV-1 replication. Events starting with HIV-1 binding to its main receptors on the target cell, CD4 and CCR5, and ending with viral integration into the host cell’s genome are shown. Proteins packaged into virions are shown; some of these proteins (MA, RT, IN, and Vpr) find their way into the reverse transcription complex (RTC). RTC becomes the pre-integration complex upon completion of reverse transcription. Details of the viral journey through the cytoplasm and into the nucleus are discussed in the text.