CONTENTS

Introduction................................................................................................................................... 109

Viral Protein R (Vpr): Structure and Function in the Viral Life Cycle.......................................

Genomic Structure of Vpr in HIV-1...................................................................................... 109

Amino Acid Sequence............................................................................................................ 110

Lessons from Yeast................................................................................................................ 110

Biology of Vpr............................................................................................................................... 111

Nuclear Entry by Preintegration Complexes.......................................................................... 111

Induction of Cell-Cycle Arrest............................................................................................... 111

Molecular Targets of Vpr....................................................................................................... 112

Vpr Mediates Cell Death............................................................................................................... 114

Apoptotic vs. Necrotic Death................................................................................................. 114

Vpr Polymorphisms............................................................................................................... 117

Novel Strategies to Inhibit Vpr Function............................................................................... 118

References..................................................................................................................................... 120