1. History says, don’t hope
On this side of the grave
But then, once in a lifetime
The longed-for tidal wave
Of justice can rise up
And hope and history rhyme.
Seamus Heaney,
1995 Nobel Laureate in Literature
1996 UNC commencement speaker
“Voices from Lemnos”

2. A retrovirus causes AIDS
The dawn of HIV
A retrovirus causes AIDS
In May 1983: doctors at the Institute Pasteur in France reported that they had isolated
a new virus, which they suggested might be the cause of AIDS.
Barre-Sinoussi F. … and Montagnier L. (1983), 'Isolation of a T-Lymphotropic retrovirus from a patient
at risk for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)', Science, May 20
In May 1983: doctors at the NIH in the US reported that a retrovirus virus related to
Human T cell Leukemia virus was present in patients with AIDS.
Gelman EP … and Gallo RC. (1983), “Proviral DNA of a retrovirus, human T-cell leukemia virus,
in two patients with’AIDS, Science, May 20
January 1985 It becomes clear that LAV and HTLV-III are the same virus and
The FDA licenses the first blood test for AIDS

3. But what is a retrovirus?
In May 1983: doctors at the Institute Pasteur in France reported that they had isolated
a new virus, which they suggested might be the cause of AIDS.
Barre-Sinoussi F. … and Montagnier L. (1983), 'Isolation of a T-Lymphotropic retrovirus from a patient
at risk for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)', Science, May 20
In May 1983: doctors at the NIH in the US reported that a retrovirus virus related to
Human T cell Leukemia virus was present in patients with AIDS.
Gelman EP … and Gallo RC. (1983), “Proviral DNA of a retrovirus, human T-cell leukemia virus,
in two patients with’AIDS, Science, May 20
January 1985 It becomes clear that LAV and HTLV-III are the same virus and
The FDA licenses the first blood test for AIDS

4. But what is a retrovirus?

5. Retroviruses are part of a big family tree!
THE BIOLOGY OF HIV, SIV, AND OTHER LENTIVIRUSES: Harrington and Swanstrom

6. To understand this discovery We need to go back to the beginning

7. DNA -> RNA -> Proteins
The central dogma--
Don’t forget this!
DNA -> RNA -> Proteins

8. We called this step translation
DNA -> RNA -> Proteins

9. DNA -> RNA -> Proteins
How about this step?
DNA -> RNA -> Proteins

10. It’s called Transcription
DNA -> RNA -> Proteins

11. users.ugent.be/.../principles/centraldogma.html

12. one gene encodes one protein -but really one function- (usually!)
As a general rule,
one gene encodes one protein
-but really one function- (usually!)
Cellular machines are largely made up of proteins.
Proteins are made up of chains of amino acids.
The sequence of these amino acids are "encoded" in the cell's DNA. DNA is transcribed into RNA, which is then translated into protein.
When one gene is mutated, one protein (a machine) is affected (usually disabled).

13. DNA RNA Protein This information flows requires
machinery to carry it out
DNA RNA Protein
Transcription
Translation
RNA Polymerase
Ribosome
Replication
DNA Polymerase
Process in Black, Enzyme in Blue
Enzymes are machines (most often made of only proteins) that catalyze a specific biochemical reaction

14. Transcription looks like this

15. Or in a slightly more detailed view

16. Many viruses have genomes like ours, composed of DNA

17. Other viruses have genomes that skip DNA

18. But retroviruses do things differently

19. But retroviruses do things differently
RNA
DNA
RNA
Retroviruses. CSHL Press Fig. 1-5

20. This part is BACKWARDS
RNA
DNA
RNA
Retroviruses. CSHL Press Fig. 1-5

21. How do they do that??
RNA
DNA
RNA
Retroviruses. CSHL Press Fig. 1-5

22. Let’s take a closer look at the virus

23. Let’s take a closer look at the virus

24. How does HIV infect new people?

25. How does HIV infect new people?

26. How does HIV infect new people?

27. How does HIV infect new people?

28. Now let’s look closely to what happens when virus enters T cells

30. And if we look
Even more closely

31. And
Even more closely

32. Retroviruses have stripped down genomes
So they make good use of what they have
THE BIOLOGY OF HIV, SIV, AND OTHER LENTIVIRUSES: Harrington and Swanstrom

33. Retroviruses have stripped down genomes
So they make good use of what they have
THE BIOLOGY OF HIV, SIV, AND OTHER LENTIVIRUSES: Harrington and Swanstrom

34. Retroviruses have stripped down genomes
So they make good use of what they have

35. Let’s look at reverse transcriptase
Science Jun 26;256(5065):

36. It’s a distant relative of DNA polymerase!

37. Encoded in pol are reverse transcriptase, RNAse H, and integrase!

38. Reverse transcriptase, the amazing enzyme that does it all

39. This will be important later!

40. This remarkable reversal of the central dogma was
Simultaneously discovered by
David Baltimore and Howard Temin
And earned them the
1975 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology
David Baltimore
Howard Temin

41. Now that the provirus
is integrated in your DNA,
It can generate new viruses

42. This involves transcription,
Translation and
processing of viral proteins

43. The Gag protein gets cleaved into pieces
by an enzyme called a protease

44. The Gag protein gets cleaved into pieces
by an enzyme called a protease

45. The Gag protein gets cleaved into pieces
by an enzyme called a protease
Matrix
Capsid
Gag