<P> Shortly after the viral capsid enters the cell , an enzyme called reverse transcriptase liberates the single - stranded ( + ) RNA genome from the attached viral proteins and copies it into a complementary DNA ( cDNA ) molecule . The process of reverse transcription is extremely error - prone , and the resulting mutations may cause drug resistance or allow the virus to evade the body 's immune system . The reverse transcriptase also has ribonuclease activity that degrades the viral RNA during the synthesis of cDNA , as well as DNA - dependent DNA polymerase activity that creates a sense DNA from the antisense cDNA . Together , the cDNA and its complement form a double - stranded viral DNA that is then transported into the cell nucleus . The integration of the viral DNA into the host cell 's genome is carried out by another viral enzyme called integrase . </P>
based on the large number of hiv replicates produced it is common to find
drug resistance