Structure of HIV

• What does the HIV core contain?

  the genetic material (RNA) and some proteins including the enzyme reverse transcriptase which is needed for virus replication
• what is the outer coating of protein on HIV called?

  a capsid
• what is the extra outer layer called?

  an envelope

  This is made of membrane stolen from the cell membrane of a previous host cell
• What can be found sticking out from the envelope?


  loads of copies of an attachment protein that help HIV attach to the host helper T-cell