The articles in this volume provide a comprehensive overview of our current understanding of the roles played by cellular factors in the early steps of retroviral replication. A better understanding of these functions will provide critical new insights into retrovirus-host cell interactions and is likely to prove useful for the future development of effective antiretroviral therapies.

Retroviruses are relevant human pathogens affecting the lives of tens of millions of people globally each year and resulting in nearly 2 million deaths annually. Understanding the process of retrovirus infection has wide benefits including the identification of therapeutic targets to treat HIV/AIDS and better understanding of cellular pathways disrupted in diseases, such as cancer and AIDS. Here, I first present my role in a collaborative project that led to the identification of over 200 cellular factors with potentially important roles in the early stages of retrovirus infection. We identified these factors through a genome-wide siRNA screen and through characterization of interactions between host and virus proteins. Additionally, I present my work on ZASC1, a host cell transcription factor that binds to the promoter regions of both HIV-1 and MLV and regulates virus gene expression in cultured established cell lines. I generated a ZASC1 knockout mouse model, showing that this gene is non-essential to development and reproduction. This mouse model was used to characterize the role of ZASC1 in retrovirus replication and disease pathogenesis. I showed that ZASC1 influences myeloid cell differentiation in this compartment and that this transcription factor is required for efficient early Mo-MuLV infection in the bone marrow compartment. Through studies of Mo-MuLV pathogenesis in the ZASC1 knockout mouse model, I show that despite this early defect, tumorigenesis is not regulated by ZASC1.

The first book to specifically cover the molecular biology of retroviruses - of immense importance since the high profile of HIV. International contributors provide detailed reviews of the latest knowledge. An excellent text for both medical and non-medical researchers, it also serves as an illuminating introduction for scientists active in other areas.

Retrovirus-Cell Interactions provides an up-to-date review of the interactions between retroviruses and the cells they infect, offering a comprehensive understanding of how retroviruses hijack cellular factors to facilitate virus replication. Drugs targeting viral enzymes have been developed to treat HIV; the next challenge is to inhibit virus-cell interactions as next generation treatment strategies. Organized according to the retrovirus' replication cycle, this book does not focus exclusively on HIV, but rather includes important findings in other retroviral systems, including animal retroviruses, retrotransposons, and endogenous retroelements to allow broad comparisons on important commonalities and differences. Provides a valuable starting point for people who want to develop a detailed understanding of retroviral replication Includes future-thinking strategies, such as next-generation treatment and anti-retroviral therapeutics Features important commonalities and differences among retroviral systems

This book comprehensively covers the mechanisms of action and inhibitor design for HIV-1 integrase. It serves as a resource for scientists facing challenging drug design issues and researchers in antiviral drug discovery. Despite numerous review articles and isolated book chapters dealing with HIV-1 integrase, there has not been a single source for those working to devise anti-AIDS drugs against this promising target. But this book fills that gap and offers a valuable introduction to the field for the interdisciplinary scientists who will need to work together to design drugs that target HIV-1 integrase.