HIV is a virus that caused scientists and biologists to scratch their heads over how to combat it. This virus infiltrates the body's T cells. T cells are the white blood cells that attack intruding virus and bacteria that invade the body. HIV hacks the human T-Cells and uses them against the body. Since it hacks the T-cells, the immune system becomes ineffective and lets HIV multiply in the blood stream without interruption.
After studying an HIV positive patient whose body makes antibodies that fight part of the virus that normal antibodies attack, scientists noticed something. This patient's body makes a new kinds of antibody which they named N123-VRC34.01, or VRC34.01. This antibody goes after the fusion peptide which is a string of amino acids totally eight. This peptide is like the glue that allows the HIV virus to link with a human cell. VRC34.01 has shown that it prevents HIV from infecting a human cell which is a big discovery.
Source:
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/352/6287/828
http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-just-set-their-sights-on-a-new-target-for-a-hiv-vaccine
https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2016/Pages/HIV-1-fusion-peptide.aspx
http://www.newnownext.com/scientists-discover-new-hiv-weakness-that-could-lead-to-vaccine/05/2016/?xrs=synd_facebook_logo
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