Open AccessLongitudinal Analysis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 nef /Long Terminal Repeat Sequences in a Cohort of Long-Term Survivors Infected from a Single Source
Author(s) -
Melissa Churchill,
David Rhodes,
Jennifer Learmont,
John S. Sullivan,
Steven Lodewyk Wesselingh,
Ian R. C. Cooke,
Nicholas J. Deacon,
Paul R Gorry
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.617
H-Index - 292
eISSN - 1070-6321
pISSN - 0022-538X
DOI - 10.1128/jvi.80.2.1047-1052.2006
Subject(s) - biology , long terminal repeat , virology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , virus , cohort , sequence (biology) , lentivirus , viral replication , genetics , genome , viral disease , gene , medicine
We studied the evolution of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in a cohort of long-term survivors infected with an attenuated strain of HIV-1 acquired from a single source. Although the cohort members experienced differing clinical courses, we demonstrate similar evolution of HIV-1nef /long-terminal repeat (LTR) sequences, characterized by progressive sequence deletions tending toward a minimalnef /LTR structure that retains only sequence elements required for viral replication. The in vivo pathogenicity of attenuated HIV-1 is therefore dictated by viral and/or host factors other than those that impose a unidirectional selection pressure on thenef /LTR region of the HIV-1 genome.