| Description |
HIV-1 latently infected cells are the major hurdle impeding viral eradication despite the development of ART (Anti-retroviral therapy), which works by inhibiting various viral proteins necessary for HIV-1 replication. Even after years of daily regimens of ART therapy, HIV-1 reemerges once the ART is discontinued. This is because HIV-1 can go latent or quiescent in resting CD4+ cells. These resting CD4+ cells contain integrated HIV DNA within the genetic material in the host cell, but no viral proteins are produced, and they are thus immune to circulating antiretroviral drugs. For that purpose, it is essential to understand the mechanisms and genes involved in the development, maintenance, and activation of latency. To investigate functions of transcripts and pathways critical for biological processes and disease mechanisms, gene knockout is a very useful technique. We propose to use the CRISPR/ cas9 system to knockout target genes and test if these genes are involved in the development of latency or are involved in the reactivation of latently infected cells |
