HIV trafficking in host cells: motors wanted!

• Actin and microtubules are involved in both the early and late phases of the HIV cycle.
• Only a few molecular motors have been shown to play a role in the HIV cycle.
• Identification and characterization of motors may lead to new antiviral therapies.

Throughout the viral replication cycle, viral proteins, complexes, and particles need to be transported within host cells. These transport events are dependent on the host cell cytoskeleton and molecular motors. However, the mechanisms by which virus is trafficked along cytoskeleton filaments and how molecular motors are recruited and regulated to guarantee successful integration of the viral genome and production of new viruses has only recently begun to be understood. Recent studies on HIV have identified specific molecular motors involved in the trafficking of these viral particles. Here we review recent literature on the transport of HIV components in the cell, provide evidence for the identity and role of molecular motors in this process, and highlight how these trafficking events may be related to those occurring with other viruses.