Title: Journey to the Nucleus: Revisiting HIV's Post-Nuclear Entry Pathways
Topic: HIV integrates in active chromatin sites to release high levels of viral progeny or remains discreet within hosts. It requires the reverse transcription of RNA to DNA within a capsid shell, previously thought to uncoat post-fusion. Contrary to textbooks, recent evidence, including ours, shows uncoating and reverse transcription occur within the infected cell's nucleus, challenging traditional views and indicating a nuclear remodeling phase. Remarkably, HIV-1 exploits liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) to form membraneless organelles (HIV-1-MLOs) that support canonical nuclear reverse transcription and viral integration. I will discuss the in vivo detection of these structures, their composition, and their role in shielding the viral genome from the hostile cellular environment. Our findings open new research avenues on LLPS's role in HIV and potential as an antiretroviral target, prompting future studies to explore its comprehensive impact on infection.
Speaker: Francesca Di Nunzio, PhD, Professor, Institut Pastetur
Host: Mojgan Naghavi, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Microbiology-Immunology