Retroviral and Lentiviral Vectors for the Induction of Immunological Tolerance

Figure 1

General structure of the retrovirion. The structure of the retrovirion is schematically shown in the figure. The retrovirus contains a diploid RNA genome associated to the nucleocapsid protein (NC), forming the nucleocapsid. This nucleocapsid is associated to structural proteins involved in the retrotranscription (RT), integration (integrase, IN), and virion maturation (protease, PR). All these are enclosed by the capsid (CA) and matrix protein (MA). Then, the virion envelope encloses the core and contains the envelope glycoprotein. In the case of retroviruses and lentiviruses, the envelope protein is made of the transmembrane (TM) and globular subunit (SU).