Conventional models of the HIV-1 replication cycle have considered that reverse transcription and disassembly of the viral core are cytoplasmic events. In this study, Campbell and colleagues set out to explore the spatio-temporal staging of reverse transcription and capsid disassembly. They used an inducible nuclear pore complex blockade to inhibit HIV-1 infection at the nuclear entry stage and determined nuclear import kinetics of infectious HIV-1 particles. Surprisingly, the data suggest that HIV-1 nuclear import occurs hours before the completion of reverse transcription. In addition, they found that uncoating is also completed in the nucleus. Finally, the authors provide evidence that HIV-1 can use distinct nuclear import pathways during infection. In the future, this experimental system may provide insights into cytoplasmic and nuclear events during infection by other viruses.
References
Original article
Dharan, A. et al. Nuclear pore blockade reveals that HIV-1 completes reverse transcription and uncoating in the nucleus. Nat. Microbiol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-020-0735-8 (2020)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Du Toit, A. The right place at the right time. Nat Rev Microbiol 18, 412 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-020-0396-x
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-020-0396-x