thesis
Envelope Glycoprotein Determinants of HIV -1 Induced Membrane Fusion
- Publication date
- 3 May 1995
- Publisher
- In 1983 the isolation of a previously unknown human retrovirus was first associated with
a newly recognized acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), characterized by unusual
opportunistic infections and malignancies (II). Subsequently repeated retrovirus isolations from
individuals with AIDS or from individuals known to be at risk of acquiring this disease were
reported (53,99,133). These retroviruses were characterized as members ofa separate group of
primate lentiviruses, the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV). They were indeed identified
as the etiological agents of AIDS (29,143,153). Within this group two major subtypes are
presently distinguished: HIV-I and HIV-2 (26,27,64). The lentiviruses identified to date which
may cause AIDS like syndromes in infected animals include simian immunodeficiency virus
(SIV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Both SIV infection of macaques and FIV
infections of cats are presently used as animal models for HIV infections in humans (97). Here
a concise overview of the biology of HI V-I is presented, with special attention for the process
of HIV-I induced membrane fusion which is at the basis of viral entry and syncytium
formation.