HIV goes through a cycle called the lytic cycle. The lytic cycle is a viral reproduction cycle that leads to the death of infected cells. There are multiple steps to this cycle starting with the entry/uncoating steps.
- Entry/uncoating: The HIV capsid fuses w/the CD4 cell membrane and the HIV genome and enzymes are exocytosed onto into the cell where they travel to the nucleus.
2. Gene expression: HIV utilizes reverse transcriptase to convert HIV RNA into HIV DNA. This allows the host cell to accept integrate the HIV DNA into the cell.
3. Genome replication: The HIV DNA utilizes the machinery of the CD4 cells to create more copies of Viral HIV DNA via protein synthesize.
4. Assembly: The Newly synthesized HIV nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) assemble into immature HIV.
5. Egress: The immature HIV releases out of the host CD4 cell and releases protease. The protease enzyme breaks down the HIV proteins and they reform to become infectious HIV.
HIV does integrate its genome into the hosts by using reverse transcriptase to convert HIV RNA into HIV DNA, which integrates with the CD4 cells. HIV requires a host with DNA in order to replicate it’s genome. When HIV is present but not actively reproducing cells, these cells are considered to be a “latent HIV reservoir”. These HIV-infected cells, if are not reproducing, will go latent for as long as possible until it feels the need to be active.
https://aidsinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv-aids/fact-sheets/19/93/what-is-a-latent-hiv-reservoir-