Question

Describe the consequences, at a cellular level, of acquiring the retrovirus HIV?

Answer 1

HIV infection of a CD4 cell involves the attachment, fusion, DNA copying, integration, and transcription of the virus.

Step-by-step explanation:

When HIV infects a CD4 cell, it goes through several stages that have consequences at a cellular level:

1. The viral particle attaches to the CD4 receptor on the cell membrane and fuses with it.
2. The viral RNA is copied into a complementary DNA strand by reverse transcriptase.
3. A double-stranded viral DNA is formed.
4. The viral DNA is integrated into the host cell's genome by integrase.
5. Transcription factors in activated T cells allow the viral DNA to be transcribed into mRNA, leading to the production of new virus proteins and genomes.