Question

does HIV have a protein coat? if yes what is its structure? what enzymes does it use for its metabolism?

Answer 1

HIV is a member of retroviruses and cause AIDS in Humans.

The virus has a nucleoprotein core bearing single stranded RNA genome and protein.

Structurally HIV can be differentiated to outer envelope, core shell and inner core of RNA.

Outer envelop contains proteins which are like a soccer ball, consists of gp120protein (spike antigen) and gp41 ( transmembrane pedicle protein).

Just below outer evvelop there is core shell of protein surrounding the centre of the inner core. Principal core antigen is p 24 and others are p 15 and p 55.

Central or inner core made up of Ribonucleic protein and reverse transcriptase, and it  is a hollow and open at narrow end the top.

Structural proteins are coded by 3 genes: Gag gene, env gene and pol gene.

Gag gene determines core and shell of HIV and codes for p 55 which is cleaved into p15 p18 and p24.

Eve gene determines synthesis of envelop glycoprotein gp160 and cleaved into gp120 and gp41.

Pol gene codes for the polymerase reverse transcriptase and other viral enzymes.

A protein coating surrounds HIV genetic material. Inside this protein coating there are 3 enzymes, reverse transcriptase, protease and integrase.

Integrase is the viral enzyme catalyses the integration of virally derived DNA into the host cell DNA in the nucleus and forming a provirus that can be activated to produce viral proteins. These enzymes also used to metabolise the capsid around the virus.