HIV approaches the cell membrane of the human cell, on which exists the CD4 and CCR5 receptor proteins. The lipid-layer of the HIV virus will attach to these receptors, fuses, and enable the virus to inject its content into the human cell. Once its content, single stranded RNA, finds a home in the cytoplasm, HIV […]

HIV virus exists as a cone-shaped virion with a diameter of approximately 100 nanometer. Its shape would be classified as a complex virus with much flexibility in symmetry. This is an enveloped virus which means it possesses a lipid bilayer. We mentioned in class that a lipid layer that comes with being an enveloped virus […]