title: Sequence analysis of a highly divergent HIV-1-related lentivirus isolated from a wild captured chimpanzee.
abstract: Two strains of simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIV) isolated from chimpanzees (SIVCPZ-GAB and SIVCPZ-GAB2) originating from Gabon have previously been genetically characterized and shown to belong phylogenetically to the same lineage as the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). We describe the sequence analysis of a third HIV-1-related virus, SIVCPZ-ANT, isolated from a wild captured chimpanzee originating from Zaire. This virus displayed the same genetic organization as HIV-1 and was found to fall on the same lineage as HIV-1 and SIVCPZ-GAB. Protein sequence identity with SIVCPZ-GAB ranged from 72% (Pol) to 48% (Env) for the structural proteins, while a particularly divergent Vpu was found (only 25% identity to SIVCPZ-GAB). The V3 regions of the SIVCPZ isolates were exceptionally conserved in contrast to the high divergence of V3 among HIV-1 isolates. However, SIVCPZ-ANT did not show a greater degree of sequence similarity with SIVCPZ-GAB than with HIV-1 isolates and represents a quite divergent outgroup of the HIV-1 lineage. Our data suggest multiple introductions of HIV-1 in the human population and shed new light on the origin of the HIV-1 pandemic.
authors.affiliation: Innogenetics N.V., Industriepark 7, Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Vanden Haesevelde
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jannes
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van der Groen
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saman
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D018420:Ape Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015752:Genes, env; D016338:Genes, vpu; D016679:Genome, Viral; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000821:virology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification