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Characteristics
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Integration of viral DNA into a chromosome of the host cell is an essential step in the retroviral life cycle. This process is catalyzed by the viral enzyme integrase (IN) through 3 steps: first step, two nucleotides are removed from the 39 ends of the viral DNA (39-end processing), second step, the recessed 39 ends of the viral DNA are then joined to 59 staggered sites in the target DNA in a concerted cleavage and ligation reaction (DNA joining), last step, integration is completed by repair of the short gaps flanking the viral DNA intermediate and subsequent joining of the 59 ends of viral DNA to the target DNA.
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