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HIV Lipid Membrane

Is the lipid membrane of HIV a phospholipid bilayer because for example when HIV splits from the host cell it removed a portion of the bilayer membrane, if so so why does the membrane have a different name?
@Jennifer50

Hi, you are right that the virus particle, after using the host material to make a double-stranded DNA molecule from its inherent RNA using reverse transcriptase (that is why the group of viruses that HIV belongs to are called retroviruses [retro = behind OR backwards [normally RNA is transcribed from DNA]: lentivirus is the HIV sub-group] and then incorporates this DNA into the host genome using integrase.

When it breaks off from the host cell pulling a covering of cell membrane with it as it extrudes itself [just like other viruses], the layer that forms its outside is a phospholipid bilayer, as you correctly say; however, the gag and pol genes of the virus (HIV has only 9 genes) code for certain proteins, some of which are added like, to the membrane, hence the term glycoprotein is a name you might have come across.

M (specialist biology tutor)
Reply 2
Original post by macpatelgh
@Jennifer50

Hi, you are right that the virus particle, after using the host material to make a double-stranded DNA molecule from its inherent RNA using reverse transcriptase (that is why the group of viruses that HIV belongs to are called retroviruses [retro = behind OR backwards [normally RNA is transcribed from DNA]: lentivirus is the HIV sub-group] and then incorporates this DNA into the host genome using integrase.

When it breaks off from the host cell pulling a covering of cell membrane with it as it extrudes itself [just like other viruses], the layer that forms its outside is a phospholipid bilayer, as you correctly say; however, the gag and pol genes of the virus (HIV has only 9 genes) code for certain proteins, some of which are added like, to the membrane, hence the term glycoprotein is a name you might have come across.

M (specialist biology tutor)


So is that why it's called a lipid envelope?
Original post by Jennifer50
So is that why it's called a lipid envelope?


Although it's derived from the host cell membrane, compared to the plasma membrane of the producing host cell, the lipid bilayer of the HIV particle has a slightly different composition e.g. it is enriched with certain kinds of lipid. In addition, it contains HIV-specific glycoproteins. To describe it as a "lipid bilayer" isn't wrong, but the term "lipid envelope" is more conventionally used to refer to this part of the virus structure as a whole.

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