title: The structural biology of HIV-1: mechanistic and therapeutic insights.
abstract: Three-dimensional molecular structures can provide detailed information on biological mechanisms and, for cases in which the molecular function affects human health, can significantly aid in the development of therapeutic interventions. For almost 25 years, key components of the lentivirus HIV-1, including the envelope glycoproteins, the capsid and the replication enzymes reverse transcriptase, integrase and protease, have been scrutinized to near atomic-scale resolution. Moreover, structural analyses of the interactions between viral and host cell components have yielded key insights into the mechanisms of viral entry, chromosomal integration, transcription and egress from cells. Here, we review recent advances in HIV-1 structural biology, focusing on the molecular mechanisms of viral replication and on the development of new therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Immunology and AIDS, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. alan_engelman@dfci.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Engelman
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cherepanov
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002213:Capsid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D019427:HIV Integrase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D054298:Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D016662:Virus Integration; D053586:Virus Internalization; D057074:Virus Release; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D054298:Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D019427:HIV Integrase; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase