HIV GAG

The Gag proteins of HIV-1, like those of other retroviruses, are necessary and sufficient for the assembly of virus-like particles. The roles played by HIV-1 Gag proteins during the life cycle are numerous and complex, involving not only assembly but also virion maturation after particle release and early postentry steps in virus replication. As the individual Gag domains carry out their diverse functions, they must engage in interactions with themselves, other Gag proteins, other viral proteins, lipid, nucleic acid (DNA and RNA), and host cell proteins. This review briefly summarizes our current understanding of how HIV-1 Gag proteins function in the virus life cycle.

HIV-1 gag proteins

Mediates, with Gag-Pol polyprotein, the essential events in virion assembly, including binding the plasma membrane, making the protein-protein interactions necessary to create spherical particles, recruiting the viral Env proteins, and packaging the genomic RNA via direct interactions with the RNA packaging sequence (Psi).

Viral budding via host ESCRT complex Source: UniProtKB

Host cell membrane; Host multivesicular body. These locations are probably linked to virus assembly sites. The main location is the cell membrane, but under some circumstances, late endosomal compartments can serve as productive sites for virion assembly.

Gag-Pol polyprotein: Specific enzymatic cleavages by the viral protease yield mature proteins.