Description of /images/hiv_virus_in_action.jpg


HIV LIFE CYCLE, deciphered with the help of genomic analyses, is unusally complex
in it's details, but all viruses undergo the same basic steps to infect cells and
reproduce. They enter a cell (bind to it and inject their genes into the interior),
copy their genes and proteins (by co-opting the cell's machinery and raw materials)
and pack.

1. BINDING: Virus attaches to a cell

2. FUSION: Viral and cell membranes fuse.

3. UNCOATING: genes and enzymes

4. REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASE: Reverse Transcriptase copies viral RNA to DNA

5. GENOME INTEGRATION: Viral integrase splices viral DNA into cellular DNA

6. GENOME REPLICATION: Cell uses the viral DNA as a template for reproducing
the HIV RNA genome.

7. PROTEIN SYNTHESIS: Cell uses HIV RNA as a template for synthesizing viral
proteins.

8. PROTEIN CLEAVAGE: Protease enzyme cuts long protein chain into individual proteins. 

9. VIRUS ASSEMBLY AND SPREAD: New viral particles bud from the cell and move on to
infect other cells.