Question

what part of the cell membrane does HIV bind to

Answer 1

CD4 Receptor part of the cell membrane does HIV bind to

• HIV proteins bind to specific receptors of host cells, most importantly HIV coat proteins gp41 and gp160.
• After attaching to the host, many of the receptors on both the cell and invading virus bind together for fusion of the virus with its host.
• Because HIV attachment is critical for the HIV replication cycle, understanding the specific mechanisms by which HIV attachment occurs has implications for potential treatments of HIV.

Key Terms

• glycoprotein: A protein with covalently bonded carbohydrates.
• macrophages: A type of white blood cell that targets foreign material, including bacteria and viruses.
• capsid: The outer protein shell of a virus.
• chemokine: Any of various cytokines, produced during inflammation, that organize the leukocytes.
• T cells: A lymphocyte, from the thymus, that can recognise specific antigens and can activate or deactivate other immune cells.

HIV entry is the earliest stage of infection in the HIV viral life cycle, occurring when the HIV virus comes into contact with the host cell and introduces viral material into the cell. HIV enters macrophages and CD4-positive T cells (CD4 is a glycoprotein receptor found on cells) by the adsorption of glycoproteins on its surface to receptors on the target cell, followed by fusion of the viral envelope with the cell membrane and the release of the HIV capsid into the cell.

. A protein found primarily on the surface of CD4 T lymphocytes (CD4 cells). To enter a host cell, HIV binds to a CD4 receptor and a coreceptor (either CCR5 or CXCR4) on the host cell.