The integrase (IN) protein of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is required for specific cleavage of the viral DNA termini, and subsequent integration of the viral DNA into target DNA. To identify the various domains of the IN protein we generated a series of IN deletion mutants as fusions to maltose-binding protein (MBP). The deletion mutants were tested for their ability to bind DNA, to mediate site-specific cleavage of the viral DNA ends, and to carry out integration and disintegration reactions. We found that the DNA-binding region resides between amino acids 200 and 270 of the 288-residues HIV-1 IN protein. The catalytic domain of the protein was mapped between amino acids 50 and 194. For the specific activities of IN, cleavage of the viral DNA and integration, both the DNA-binding domain and the conserved amino-terminal region of IN are required. These regions are dispensable however, for disintegration activity.