New transcription regulatory mechanisms of latent HIV LTR

Abstract

Despite the effectiveness of antiretroviral medication, the HIV virus persists in resting memory T cells of infected patients in a latent state, providing the main impediment to eradication of the virus. We are interested in identifying the molecular mechanism responsible for the establishment and maintenance of HIV latency and its re-activation. We recently used a cell system reflecting HIV latency in my lab to determine the high resolution nucleosomal landscape of the latent HIV LTR and examine its dynamic changes upon re-activation (Rafati et al., Nov 2011 PLoS Biology)...