We have previously shown that some of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)gag matrix (MA), capsid (CA), and nucleocapsid (NC) mutants display host-cell-dependent replication potential, and that they are defective at the early phase of the virus replication cycle in non-permissive cells. To determine the defective replication stage of the cell-dependent mutants precisely, the processes of virus entry into cells and virus DNA synthesis were monitored by the highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction amplification analysis. The results obtained indicated that all the cell-dependent MA, CA and NC mutants are defective ar the stage of uncoating/reverse transcription, and that a cellular factor(s) is involved in this process. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.