ASSOCIATION OF INTEGRASE, MATRIX, AND REVERSE-TRANSCRIPTASE ANTIGENS OF HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 WITH VIRAL NUCLEIC-ACIDS FOLLOWING ACUTE INFECTION

We have examined components of the preintegration complex of human imm unodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and have analyzed features which go vern the association of these components. HIV-1 nucleoprotein complexe s, isolated from nuclear and cytoplasmic extracts of CD4+ cells after acute virus infection, contained viral RNA and DNA in association with viral matrix (MA), integrase (IN), and reverse transcriptase (RT) ant igens but not capsid (CA) antigens and possessed integration activity in vitro. Association of IN but not RT or MA antigens with viral DNA w as detergent-stable. Analysis of viral DNA synthesis and nuclear impor t of viral nucleoprotein complexes in the presence of a reversible RT inhibitor demonstrated that reverse transcription of viral RNA could b e completed entirely in the host cell nucleus. Our studies demonstrate structural and functional features of the nucleoprotein (preintegrati on) complex of HIV-1 which are pertinent to the understanding of early events in the lentiviral life cycle.