Integrase

Integrase is an enzyme produced by certain viruses, like HIV, that helps insert their genetic material into a host body's DNA. When the virus infects a cell, integrase cuts the host DNA and then integrates the viral DNA into it. This process allows the virus to hijack the cell's machinery to produce more copies of itself. Because integrase is essential for the virus’s replication, it’s a key target for antiviral drugs designed to prevent the virus from establishing a long-term infection within the host.