Nef and LTR sequence variation from sequentially derived human immunodeficiency virus type 1 isolates.
Variation in HIV-1 nef and LTR DNA sequences was assessed longitudinally during disease progression in four HIV-1-infected subjects. Point mutations were found among quasispecies obtained at a single time point in each individual, with increasing diversity with disease progression in two of three patients for whom sufficient data were available for analysis. Deletions and rearrangements were more common in late than early stages of disease. Continued sequence evolution in HIV-1 quasispecies with nef deletions along with coexistence of nef-bearing quasispecies suggest that nef-deleted quasispecies are capable of replication in vivo, possibly complemented by quasispecies lacking such deletions and/or by adaptation to a specialized niche within the patients.
McNearney
T
T
Department of Medicine,Washington University, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
Hornickova
Z
Z
Templeton
A
A
Birdwell
A
A
Arens
M
M
Markham
R
R
Saah
A
A
Ratner
L
L
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015693:Gene Products, nef / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D016325:HIV Long Terminal Repeat / Q000235:genetics*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017354:Point Mutation; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D015693:Gene Products, nef; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus