Importantly, despite the accumulation of somatic mutations, the three key amino acids, Trp50HC, Asn58HC, and Arg71HC, that make critical contacts with the CD4-BS of Env (7), remained unaltered, similar to what occurs during the affinity maturation process of VRC01-class bnAbs during HIV-1 infection (4, 5). The gene discussed is ERVW-1; the disease is HIV-1 infection.