Evolution of HIV - 2

Question 1

What cells does HIV infect

Answer 1

macrophages and T cells

Question 2

What are the 3 enzymes that HIV cells contain

Answer 2

reverse transcriptase
integrase
protease

Question 3

Function of reverse transcriptase in HIV

Answer 3

enzyme that converts RNA into viral DNA
reverse transcription!

Question 4

Function of integrase in HIV

Answer 4

it inserts its viral DNA into the DNA of the host CD4 cells
converts into our genome!

Question 5

Function of protease in HIV

Answer 5

cuts up large precursor proteins into smaller proteins which combine with HIV’s genetic material to form a a new HIV virus
enable to replicate!

Question 6

CD4 and CCR5

Answer 6

CD4 is a receptor and CCR5 is a co-receptor that allows for interaction with the surface proteins of teh HIV cells.

Question 7

Explain AZT as a treatment for HIV

Answer 7

has a N3 group instead of a hydroxyl. hydroxyl allows for another attachment whereas the N3 instead stops reverse transcription.

Question 8

Why does AZT over time become ineffective

Answer 8

However, with time, the virus evolved to resistant AZT therapy
it didn’t stop phosphorylating the N3, but it instead adapted.
occurred because the virus replicates very quickly

Question 9

How have humans evolved as a result of the virus

Answer 9

a homozygous mutation of CCR5 which causes the coreceptor to become smaller and therefore HIV cannot attach.

Question 10

Why is the mutation CCR5 more frequent in European even though that isn’t where we see the majority of cases

Answer 10

Could be due to selection pressure to a higher level in Europe or genetic drift (random chance)