HIV is a __________________ meaning that it is composed not of DNA but of RNA.

HIV infects a variety of cells but its main target is the __________________

Happens when HIV connects and attaches to receptors on the CD4 T-cell.

HIV binds to a CD4+ surface receptor. The HIV virus that contains the RNA and reverse transcriptase enzyme dumps its contents into the host CD4-T cell. This is called ___________________.

HIV infects the CD4 T-Cell DNA through a process called _____________________________________ where the enzyme reverse transcriptase makes a DNA copy of the HIV’s RNA by turning the HIV-RNA into double-stranded DNA within the CD4 T-cell.

Once HIV-DNA is formed, it hides itself in the human DNA inside of the CD4 T-cell nucleus. Another viral enzyme called integrase helps to hides the HIV-DNA into the CD4 T-cell’s DNA. This step is called _______________________.

HIV directs the CD4 T-cell to produce long chains of HIV proteins. Messengers called mRNA carry instructions to a kind of workshop in the cell. As each mRNA strand is processed, a corresponding string of HIV protein is made until new viral proteins are made to form a new HIV. This step is called _____________________________.

Long strings of proteins are cut up by a viral enzyme called protease into smaller proteins. Protease combines the DNA packages to create new, active HIV. This step is called ______________________.

New HIV is formed which then pushes itself out of the CD4 T-cell. The virus then steals part of the CD4 T-cell protective coating. The virus is able to infect new cells with HIV and cause the number of copies of HIV (Viral Load) to replicate very fast! This is called ___________________