In this module we are learning about the study of viruses. Viruses are very small particles that act as cellular parasites. Viruses are not life-forms themselves, because they can’t survive on their own. They must take over a host cell and commandeer it’s cellular machinery in order to survive. 

This chapter initially talked about factors common to all viruses, and then turned to those aspects that are particular to HIV. HIV is a member of a class of virus known as retroviruses. While most viruses use DNA as for their genetic material, retroviruses use RNA. Reverse transcriptase is a protein in retroviruses that copies RNA into DNA, and then helps the viral DNA integrate into the cellular chromosomes, where it will remain for the life of that infected cell. 

For this discussion, choose one example of the “study of viruses” to focus on. Choose one aspect that was particularly interesting to you. Do some research to find out a little more about it. Here is a list of examples, but you can think of other ones as well:

the retrovirus life cycle  

anti-HIV therapies 

1. the ELISA “HIV test” 
2. the fate of HIV infected cells
3. the HIV latency period
4. what’s new with coronaviruses
5. how HIV kills T-cells that aren’t infected with HIV
6. the role of CD4 cells and HIV