Important points for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Hello to all Microbiologists :)

We will be learning today about HIV.

Everybody knows HIV, but if asked suddenly about its glycoproteins, or its antigenic components, will you be able to recollect?

So here are some important points about HIV that you need to not only memorize but also get integrated in your long term memory.

Let's start.

1. HIV is a retrovirus, which means its genomic material is RNA. 
2. What type of RNA? - Single stranded positive sense. 
3. It is an enveloped virus - Icosahedral covering.
4. It has reverse transcriptase - by which it can convert host's DNA into RNA.

Now let's learn something about it's structure and antigens.

Certainly the envelope proteins and lipids acts as antigens too.

1. Envelope glycoprotein spike (gp 120).
2. Transmembrane Glycoprotein (gp 41).
3. Nucleocapsid (p24 and p 18) encloses the genetic material and also acts as an antigen.
4. Some other core antigens - p 15 and p 55.
5. Polymerase antigens - p 31, p 51 and p 66.

Some important genes include:

1. tat (trans activating gene) - enhances expression of all the genes.
2. nef (negative factor gene) - responsible for down regulation of viral replication.
3. vif (viral infectivity factor gene) - influences infectivity of viral particles.
4. vpu (in HIV 1) and vpx (in HIV 2) causes maturation and release of progeny virus.

Hope it helps.

Lots of Love

-Staph