Lentivirus replication and regulation

Lentiviruses are associated with chronic diseases of the hematological and neurological systems in animals and man. In particular, human immunodeficie ncy virus type 1 (HIV-1) is the etiological agent of the global AIDS epidem ic. The genomes of lentiviruses are complex, encoding a number of regulator y and accessory proteins not found in other retroviruses. This complexity i s reflected in their replication cycle, which reveals intricate regulatory pathways and unique mechanisms for viral persistence. In this review, we hi ghlight some of these unique features for HIV-1, with particular focus on t he transcriptional and posttranscriptional control of gene expression. Alth ough our understanding of the biology of HIV-1 is far from complete, the kn owledge gained thus far has already led to novel strategies for both virus intervention and exploiting the lentiviruses for therapeutic applications.