1. Typically a
virus contains an
RNA (
ribonucleic acid) or
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) core of genetic material surrounded by a protein coat. See also
DNA;
Ribonucleic Acid. 2. As related to HIV: Within HIV's
envelope is a bullet-shaped core made of another protein,
p24, that surrounds the viral
RNA. Each strand of HIV
RNA contains the virus' nine genes. Three of these-gag, pol and env-are structural genes that contain information needed to make structural
proteins. The
env gene, for example, codes for
gp160, a protein that is later broken down to
gp120 and
gp41. See also
env;
gp41;
gp120;
gp160;
p24.