Some Facts

HIV

• The diameter equals 100-150 billionth of a meter.
• It has a spiked (72 exactly) membrane made up of gp120 and gp41 proteins.
• Underneath the membrane is the matrix, made up of p17.
• Within the matrix is the core or capsid. The core is bullet shaped and holds three enzymes important for HIV reproduction: reverse transcriptase, integrase, and protease. Two strands of RNA are also with in the core.