Small molecule is the key to HIV forming capsules

A group of University of Chicago scientists announced a groundbreaking study that explores the role of a small molecule, called IP6, in building the HIV-1 virus capsid. The genetic information of the HIV virus is surrounded by a layer of proteins called a capsid, which works as the armor of the virus. Figuring out how this capsid is formed provides an important avenue to developing treatments, yet researchers have struggled for decades to recreate stable capsids in the laboratory. "The HIV capsid has a very unique conical shape that needs to be closed to contain the viral genetic material," said postdoctoral fellow and lead author of the study Alvin Yu, which was published Sept. 16 in Science Advances . Part of the secret to assembling the capsid is the incorporation of defects into the lattice. The majority of the capsid is composed of hexameric protein arrangements that consist of six subunits.