POLB and HIV infectious disease: We examined the hypothesis that BER repairs a gapped integration intermediate by measuring HIV infection efficiency in Polβ null cell lines complemented with active site point mutants of Polβ. A DNA synthesis defective mutant, but not a 5′dRP lyase mutant, rescued HIV infection efficiency to wild type levels; this suggeted Polβ DNA synthesis activity is not necessary while 5′dRP lyase activity is required for efficient HIV infection.