title: Monophyletic clade of HIV-1 subtype B in Korea: evolutionary pressure or single introduction?
abstract: We have previously shown that many of the nef sequences from Korean HIV-1 subtype B carriers were grouped together in phylogenetic tree analyses. To determine whether this pattern was originated from either a single HIV-1-infected person or some biological pressure which directs the HIV-1 genomic mutation by the Korean specific immunological characters, we analyzed nef sequences from HIV-1-infected individuals with different time intervals. Thirty-two out of 46 analyzed patients formed a Korean monophyletic (KM) clade with 93% bootstrapping value. Eighteen patients' nef sequences were analyzed 1-9 years after first analysis. None of the patients shifted their clade from the first clustered clade (KM or non-KM), and all of the re-analyzed isolates were clustered close to the first analyzed clade. Isolates of the KM dade and non-KM clade in nef analysis showed the same pattern as in env analysis. Phylogenetic clustering evidences from both nef and C2/V3 trees strongly support the idea that introduction of the KM clade in subtype B strains originated from a common source. Thus, treatment and development of an AIDS vaccine may be somewhat easier than in other countries with multiple strains of HIV-1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Husbandry, Konkuk University, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young B
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D005260:Female; D015754:Genes, nef; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D012725:Sexual Behavior