Benkirane Lab

Research focus

ERC Advanced Grant · 2018

Deciphering the molecular mechanisms of HIV DNA nuclear import and the impact of 3D genome organization on integration site selection

Chromosomes of eukaryotes adopt highly dynamic and complex hierarchical structures in the nucleus. The three-dimensional (3D) organization of chromosomes profoundly affects DNA functions, primarily transcription. During retroviral infection, histone-free viral DNA copy is synthesized from viral genomic RNA. vDNA will ultimately integrate into the host genome to ensure its maintenance and expression. Understanding retrovirus-host interactions at the genomic level, and the peculiar mechanisms by which lentiviruses, including HIV-1, and their related gene transfer vectors, are imported into the nucleus, loaded with nucleosomes, integrate in, and interact with, the human genome will provide…

From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.