Author Summary Retrovirus genomes integrate into the genomes of host cells. If the target cells of a particular retrovirus include germ-line cells, e.g., sperm or egg cells, then retroviral genomes can be inherited like cellular genes. So-called “endogenous” retroviruses have accumulated throughout evolution in the genomes of many organisms, including humans. While all known endogenous Human retroviruses (HTLV-I, HTLV-II, HIV-1, and HIV-2) and some human herpes viruses (notably EBV and HHV-6 or HBLV) infect chiefly target cells of the immune system. They can alter function of these cells, leading to many side effects, including mild (HTLVs), transient (EBV, HHV-6), or profound (HIVs) immune impairment with the associated HIV-1 protease (PR) is a retroviral aspartyl protease (retropepsin), an enzyme involved with peptide bond hydrolysis in retroviruses, that is essential for the life-cycle of HIV, the retrovirus that causes AIDS. [1] [2] HIV protease cleaves newly synthesized polyproteins (namely, Gag and Gag- Pol [3]) at nine cleavage sites to create the mature One benefit of learning how retroviruses multiply—the identification of potential targets for antiviral therapies—was not often discussed in the 1970s, when much of the work was done and the known retroviral diseases were confined to a few animal species. But the discovery of the lethal human retrovirus HIV, in the early 1980s, changed all In addition to the more obvious and better-studied cellular factors (such as receptors and transcription factors) necessary for retroviral replication, viral proteins and nucleic acids interact with a myriad of other cell components; however, these interactions are only beginning to be dissected. Functions now understood to require specific help from cellular systems include transport into the Home Glossary Retrovirus HIV/AIDS Glossary Search Glossary Print Print this term Download Glossary English Version PDF (3.13MB) Spanish Version PDF (3.16MB) Retrovirus A type of virus that uses RNA as its genetic material. After infecting a cell, a retrovirus uses an enzyme called reverse transcriptase to convert its RNA into DNA. Retroviruses, including HERVs, are composed of gag, pol, and env genes similar to those present in exogenous retroviruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and human T cell leukemia virus 6J4kkG.

is hiv a retrovirus