How HIV smuggles its genetic material into the cell nucleus

More than one million people become infected with the AIDS virus HIV every year. In order to infect its host, the virus must not only enter a cell but also transport its genetic material into the cell nucleus and integrate it into a chromosome. We have now discovered that the capsid of the virus has evolved into a molecular transporter. As such, the capsid can directly pass a central line of defense of the nucleus, which otherwise protects against viral invaders. This smuggling strategy keeps the HIV genome hidden from the antiviral sensors in the cytoplasm.