Integration of provirus Reverse Transcription of HIV RNA Uncoating of the HIV Virion Binding and entry of HIV virion Early Phase of HIV Life Cycle Authored: Iordanskiy, S, Morrow, MP, Gopinathrao, G, D'Eustachio, P, Bukrinsky, M, 2006-05-16 18:51:52 Edited: Gopinathrao, G, 2006-02-17 18:35:46 Edited: Gopinathrao, G, D'Eustachio, P, 2006-05-18 20:10:22 GENE ONTOLOGYGO:0022415 In the <b>early phase </b> of HIV lifecycle, an active virion binds and enters a target cell mainly by specific interactions of the viral envelope proteins with host cell surface receptors. The virion core is uncoated to expose a viral nucleoprotein complex containing RNA and viral proteins. HIV RNA genome is reverse transcribed by the viral Reverse Transcriptase to form a cDNA copy, that gets inserted into host cell DNA. The viral Integrase enzyme is vital to carry out the integration of the viral cDNA into the host genome. The host DNA repair enzymes probably repair the breaks in DNA at the sites of integration. Pubmed12091904 Reactome Database ID Release 43162594 Reactome, http://www.reactome.org ReactomeREACT_6266 Reviewed: Aiken, C, Bushman, FD, Hughes, SH, Reeves, J, 2006-10-30 22:07:21 PathwayStep3517 PathwayStep3516 PathwayStep3502 PathwayStep3501 PathwayStep3500 PathwayStep3534 Removal of plus-strand flap and gap closure complete synthesis of linear duplex viral DNA Annealing of 3'-end of unwound transfer RNA primer with genomic RNA PathwayStep3497 Formation of RTC (Reverse Transcription Complex)