Oligonucleotides that can form a highly stable intramolecular four-stranded DNA structure containing two stacked guanosine-quartets (G-quartets) have been reported to inhibit the replication of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in cell culture. Two possible mechanisms for the observed antiviral activity have been proposed: interference with virus adsorption to the cell and/or inhibition of HIV-1 integrase. We investigated the molecular interaction of G-quartet-containing oligonucleotides with HIV-1 integrase in comparison with random oligonucleotides and dextran sulfate. The prototypical G-quartet-containing oligonucleotide, T30177 (Zintevir), inhibited the overall integration reaction with an IC50 value of 80 nM. A random oligonucleotide was 10-fold less potent, but dextran sulfate was more potent, with an IC50 value of 7 nM. We developed novel kinetic assays to dissect the overall integration reaction in three steps: the formation of the initial stable complex (ISC), the 3'-processing reaction, and the DNA strand-transfer step. We then analyzed the kinetics of the ISC formation and 3'-processing. The rate constant determined for the conversion of ISC into the cleaved product was 0.08 +/- 0.01 min-1. T30177 did not inhibit 3'-processing or DNA strand transfer, whereas dextran sulfate inhibited DNA strand transfer to some extent. Binding studies using surface plasmon resonance technology revealed that both T30177 and dextran sulfate were capable of preventing the binding of integrase to specific DNA. We propose a model in which the interaction of HIV-1 integrase with G-quartets results in the inhibition of the formation of the ISC between integrase and substrate DNA. Finally, we selected for an HIV-1 strain that was resistant to T30177 in cell culture. DNA sequence analysis revealed mutations in the envelope glycoprotein gp120 but not in the integrase gene. Although gp120 seems to be the main target for the antiviral activity in cell culture of G-quartets, the study of their specific inhibition of HIV-1 integrase may lead to the development of effective integrase inhibitors.