In the context of AIDS, the interaction of Tat/p53 is perplexing because their roles appear to be somehow contradictory. As such, p53 functions in a way to induce apoptosis whereas Tat's goal is to assure the survival of HIV. In this respect, it was speculated that the interaction between these two proteins indeed involves a switching mechanism. In the early phase of the disease, p53 binds to Tat and presumably inhibits it . As Tat subsequently accumulates in the cellular milieu, it suppresses the expression of p53 without having any direct contact with it. In summary, one can suggest that these proteins indeed crosstalk, which may result in the transformation of cells by HIV-1 or activation of HIV-1 replication . Despite its significance, the studies aiming at elucidating how these two proteins interact are currently limited. In an early work, the interaction between these two proteins was confirmed through the yeast two-hybrid systems, implying a specific binding of these two proteins . A more recent and conspicuous study, aiming to clarify the molecular foundation of these interactions, revealed that p53 in fact binds to Tat protein through its tetramerization domain.