Question

Human immuno deficiency virus (HIV) has a protein coat and a genetic material which is

• A. double stranded RNA
• B. double stranded DNA
• C. single stranded DNA
• D. single stranded RNA.

Hint:

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes the deadly disease, AIDS (Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). 

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

HIV is a retrovirus, which contains single-stranded RNA, surrounded by a protein coat (core-shell) as genetic material. It causes AIDS. The structure of HIV varies from other retroviruses. It is around 120 nm in diameter (120 billionths of a meter; around 60 times smaller than a red blood cell) and roughly spherical.

Answer 2

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes the deadly disease, AIDS (Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). It was first reported in the United States in the year 1981 and caused death for millions of people till now.

Complete step-by-step answer:

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an RNA virus that causes AIDS. The genetic material of HIV is RNA and it is covered by a protein coat. 

• HIV virus belongs to a group of viruses known as retroviruses. 
• It infects the immune system and causes severe immunodeficiency. 
• The primary site of infection is macrophages. 
• The newly formed viruses invade the helper T cells causing an inappropriate functioning of the immune system.

HIV virus is transmitted from one person to another in multiple ways. It can be caused by intimate sexual contact, sharing infected needles, blood transfusions, surgical instruments, and from HIV-infected mothers to their fetuses.

Hence the correct option is D) single-stranded RNA.

Note: ELISA test is done to identify the presence of the HIV virus. The confirmation test for AIDS is a PCR test (polymerase chain reaction).

Answer 3

The genetic material found in HIV contains nucleotides - cytosine, adenine, guanine, and uracil, present in a single strand.

The genetic material found in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a single-stranded RNA.

• HIV is a retrovirus that carries single-stranded RNA as its genetic material in place of the double-stranded DNA. 
• Unlike other viruses, genetic information in retroviruses is stored in RNA instead of DNA. 

Additional Information:

• The enzyme for the copying function is a reverse transcriptase.
• The human immunodeficiency virus - HIV has two species of retrovirus that mainly infect humans.
• Over time, they lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome - AIDS. It is a condition in which the immune system fails leading to life-threatening infections.
• HIV is a sexually transmitted infection that occurs by contact, or transfer of blood, semen, or vaginal fluids.

So, the correct answer is,’ single-stranded RNA’.

Note:

• The average survival time of the patient after they are infected with HIV is around 9 to 11 years
• Nonsexual transmission includes the transmission of the virus from an infected pregnant mother to her infant.
• Reverse transcriptase enzyme helps in copying of RNA into DNA.

Answer 4

AIDS is caused by the HIV virus which belongs to the special class of viruses known as a retrovirus. 

• HIV has a viral envelope and 2 identical copies of single-stranded RNA along with a reverse transcriptase enzyme. 
• Hence HIV has a protein coat and a genetic material with single-stranded RNA.

Answer 5

The correct option is (C): "Single-stranded RNA"

HIV is a spherical, enveloped-shaped virus which is 90 to 120 nm in diameter. 

Its nucleocapsid is icosahedral and its genome has a single-stranded RNA filament segmented into two identical filaments and associated with a “reverse transcriptase enzyme”.

Human immuno deficiency virus(HIV) has a protein coat and a genetic material which is Single-stranded RNA.