Psi packaging Element is a cis-acting RNA element identified in the genomes of the retroviruses Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) It is involved in regulating encapsidation of the retroviral RNA, an essential step in replication.
HIV-1 is composed of two copies of noncovalently linked, unspliced, positive-sense single-stranded RNA enclosed by a conical capsid composed of the viral protein p24, typical of lentiviruses. The RNA component is 9749 nucleotides long and bears a 5' cap (Gppp), a 3' poly(A) tail, and many open reading frames (ORFs)
