Mapping HIV-1 RNA structure, homodimers, long-range interactions and persistent domains by HiCapR.

Summary: Scientists have created a new tool called HiCapR to study how the HIV virus folds and packs its genetic material (RNA). Just like a long piece of string, the virus's RNA can tangle, fold, and connect to itself. The new tool showed that inside a human cell, the virus's RNA is loosely folded with many connections. But when the virus packs itself up to leave the cell and infect others, it folds into a tight, neat package. Understanding how the virus changes its shape to survive could help doctors create new medicines to stop HIV from spreading.