The gp120 protein binds to the CD4 receptor of TH cells in order to enter the cell.
<h3>What is the importance of gp120 protein to HIV?</h3>
Gp120 protein of HIV is a glycoprotein found in the virus's outer envelope. It manifests as viral membrane spikes made up of three gp120 molecules joined together and fixed to the membrane by gp41 protein. The best-known and most well studied function of Gp120 in HIV infection is to enable HIV entrance into the host cell, which is crucial for viral infection. However, it is becoming more and more clear that gp120 may potentially be promoting viral persistence and maintaining HIV infection by affecting the T cell immunological response to the virus.
Numerous mechanisms could be at play in this process, but the interaction between gp120 and the CD4 receptor on T cells is the most well-known and crucial one since it makes it easier for the virus to enter CD4+ cells and causes their depletion, which is a defining feature of HIV infection. Gp120 is expelled from the viral envelope and significantly builds up in lymphoid tissues. Here, it has the potential to trigger apoptosis and significantly modify the immune system's response to the virus by tamping down the antiviral CTL response, so preventing the clearance of HIV.
I understand the question you are looking for is this:
How is the gp120 protein important to HIV and its ability to confound the immune system?
- The gp120 protein has reverse transcriptase activity and is needed to replicate the genome.
- The gp120 protein is a protease needed to prepare the capsid.
- The gp120 protein binds to the CD4 receptor of TH cells to enter the cell.
- The gp120 protein enables HIV to insert its genome into the host DNA.
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