Re-analysis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 isolates from Cyprus and Greece, initially designated 'subtype I', reveals a unique complex A/G/H/K/? mosaic pattern.
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has been classified into three main groups and 11 distinct subtypes. Moreover, several circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) of HIV-1 have been recently documented to have spread widely causing extensive HIV-1 epidemics. A subtype, initially designated I (CRF04_cpx), was documented in Cyprus and Greece and was found to comprise regions of sequence derived from subtypes A and G as well as regions of unclassified sequence. Re-analysis of the three full-length CRF04_cpx sequences that were available revealed a mosaic genomic organization of unique complexity comprising regions of sequence from at least five distinct subtypes, A, G, H, K and unclassified regions. These strains account for approximately 2% of the total HIV-1-infected population in Greece, thus providing evidence of the great capability of HIV-1 to recombine and produce highly divergent strains which can be spread successfully through different infection routes.
Paraskevis
D
D
National Retrovirus Reference Center, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Athens University Medical School, M. Asias 75, Athens 115 27, Greece1.
Magiorkinis
M
M
National Retrovirus Reference Center, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Athens University Medical School, M. Asias 75, Athens 115 27, Greece1.
Vandamme
A M
AM
Rega Institute for Medical Research and University Hospitals, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium2.
Kostrikis
L G
LG
Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, The Rockefeller University, New York 10016, USA3.
Hatzakis
A
A
National Retrovirus Reference Center, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Athens University Medical School, M. Asias 75, Athens 115 27, Greece1.
D002213:Capsid / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D003535:Cyprus; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D015684:Gene Products, pol / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D016346:Gene Products, vif / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D006115:Greece; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D054320:vif Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D036022:Capsid Proteins; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015684:Gene Products, pol; D016346:Gene Products, vif; D015488:HIV Antigens; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; C071884:NCP7 protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C054858:p17 protein, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1; C083002:p6 gag protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1; D054320:vif Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus