Open AccessThe U3 promoter region of the acutely lethal simian immunodeficiency virus clone smmPBj1.9 confers related biological activity on the apathogenic clone agm3mc.
Author(s) -
Matthias T. Dittmar,
Klaus Cichutek,
Patricia N. Fultz,
Reinhard Kurth
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.92.5.1362
Subject(s) - biology , virology , clone (java method) , simian immunodeficiency virus , virus , african green monkey , cercopithecus aethiops , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , viral replication , gene , genetics , in vitro
Infection with the acutely pathogenic molecular virus clone SIVsmmPBj1.9, cloned from isolate PBj14 of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) from sooty mangabey monkeys (Cercocebus atys), leads to acute viral and often lethal disease within days or weeks. SIVsmmPBj1.9 has the unique property of replicating in nonstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from pig-tailed macaques. In contrast, molecular virus clone SIVagm3mc of SIV from African green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops), which is apathogenic in its natural host and in pig-tailed macaques, is unable to grow in nonstimulated peripheral blood cells. Chimeric proviruses were constructed by exchanging defined regions of SIVagm3mc against comparable regions of SIVsmmPBj1.9. Four of five hybrid viruses generated by transfection into the CD4-positive T-cell line C8166 replicated in T-cell lines permissive for SIVagm3mc replication and in stimulated peripheral blood cells from pig-tailed macaques and from African green monkeys. Three hybrid viruses displayed the distinct biological property of SIVsmmPBj14 to replicate in nonstimulated peripheral blood cells from pig-tailed macaques and from African green monkeys. Replication in nonstimulated peripheral blood cells was dependent on the presence of the U3 promoter region of SIVsmmPBj1.9 within the viral long terminal repeat.