Abstract

Viruses have many strategies for negotiating entry into cells and harnessing the cellular machinery for their propagation [1, 2]. The diversity of strategies is however bound by the central process of translating protein from RNA. The co-evolution of cellular responses to signature viral RNA intermediates and the counter measures employed by viruses, highlight the vulnerability of this aspect of viral replication and the potential of viral RNA as a drug target. In this review we will discuss novel efforts to target the RNA intermediates of the HIV life cycle.

Keywords: RNA Interference, Hairpin Ribozymes, HIV replication, Transdominant Rev Mutant Proteins, Rev Response Element (RRE)