title: Nucleotide sequence analysis of the accessory genes of HIV-1 group O isolates.
abstract: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 group O strains have been described as highly divergent, compared with the majority of the viruses classified in group M. To study the diversity and genetic characteristics of group O, we have sequenced the accessory genes of 7 isolates. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences for Vif, Vpr, Tat, Vpu, and Rev indicate that most of the functional domains of these proteins, as described for group M viruses, are highly conserved and retained among all the group O strains we have characterized. The only difference concerns the Vif phosphorylation sites, which are absent in all of the group O isolated we have sequence with the exception of two isolates in which only one phosphorylation site was conserved. These sites, present in nearly all of the group M isolates, play a critical role in the regulation of viral replication and infectivity. As described for group M isolates, the vpu gene is the one with the highest diversity among group O viruses. Phylogenetic analysis of these sequences suggests that group O viruses could be differentiated into at least four different clusters.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, MD, USA. avallejo@cica.es
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vallejo
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gurtler
authors.forename: Leopold
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zekeng
authors.forename: Indira K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Hewlett
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D005814:Genes, Viral; D015757:Genes, rev; D015756:Genes, tat; D016341:Genes, vif; D016334:Genes, vpr; D016338:Genes, vpu; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins