The attachment of enveloped viruses to cells and the fusion of viral and cellular membranes are critical early events in the HIV viral infection. This process is mediated by envelope glycoproteins (gp) on the surface of the virus. The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein, gp160, is proteolytically cleaved into gp120 and gp41, which remain noncovalently associated with one another. gp120 is one of the proteins that forms the envelope of HIV. gp120 projects from the surface of HIV and binds to the CD4 molecule on helper T cells. gp120 has been a logical experimental HIV vaccine because the outer envelope is the first part of the virus that encounters antibody. gp41 is embedded in the outer envelope of HIV that anchors gp120. gp41 also plays a key role in HIV's infection of CD4+ T cells by facilitating the fusion of the viral and cell membranes. The nomenclature of the gp proteins describes their respective molecular masses (e.g., gp160, gp120, gp41).
