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HIV nuclear import: What's the flap?

Elucidation of the mechanisms behind nuclear translocation of viral nucleic acids will lead to improvements in the design of anti-retroviral drugs and gene therapy vectors that are able to transduce non-dividing cells. A recent study has identified a triple stranded HIV cDNA intermediate of reverse transcription, or a ‘central DNA flap,’ as a component of HIV nuclear import.

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Figure 1: Models of flap-dependent HIV nuclear import.

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Stevenson, M. HIV nuclear import: What's the flap?. Nat Med 6, 626–628 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/76191

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