• Characterized Vpr is necessary and sufficient for downregulation of host translation
• Discovered the retention of nuclear cap-binding protein provides HIV-1 resistance to eIF4E inhibition
• Distinguished distinct components of HIV-1 RNPs for protein synthesis and virion biogenesis
• Revealed unique capacity for reinitiation of translation by the translation RNP of human retroviruses
• Defined specific nuclear interactions that distinguish a viral RNP for virion biogenesis
• By usurping the cell’s gene expression machineries, retroviruses produce a dozen gene products from a single RNA.
• Distinctions in the viral RNPs are expected to reveal selectivity to pulling its Achilles' heel.