title: Population sequence analysis of a simian immunodeficiency virus (32H reisolate of SIVmac251): a virus stock used for international vaccine studies.
abstract: The virus structural genes gag and env (both gp120 and gp41 regions) of the 32H isolate of SIVmac251 were amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The proviral template used in the PCR was DNA isolated from cells used to prepare several experimental SIV vaccines, which have been tested in simians, and a standard challenge stock of virus, which has been used in international collaborative studies. The PCR products were cloned and the nucleotide sequences of several clones were determined for each gene. From a comparison of the sequences obtained the predominant amino acid sequences of gag and env were predicted and the degree of sequence heterogeneity was determined. Conserved and more variable regions of each protein were identified. The gp120 region of env was more heterogeneous than gag or the transmembrane protein of env (gp41). Within gp120, sequence variability was concentrated to specific regions equivalent to the V1, V2, and, to a lesser extent, the C1 regions identified for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). In contrast the region equivalent to the hypervariable "V3-loop" of HIV-1 was highly conserved. The implications of the data is discussed in relation to the ability of this virus stock to prepare effective vaccines against SIV.
authors.affiliation: AIDS Collaborating Centre and Informatics Laboratory, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Herts, England.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Almond
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slade
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heath
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cranage
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kitchin
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015752:Genes, env; D015750:Genes, gag; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000235:genetics; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; D014765:Viral Vaccines