Construction and characterization of CD4-independent infectious recombinant HIV-2 molecular clones.
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and type 2 (HIV-2) differ in their pathogenic mechanisms as evidenced by lower rate of disease progression, lower transmission rates and lower viral load in peripheral blood for HIV-2. One of the many factors that are involved in these characteristics is the interaction between viral glycoproteins and cellular receptors. The study of these interactions in an HIV-2 model could lead to important conclusions regarding pathogenesis and transmission mechanisms of HIV-2 infection. Here we report the design of a method enabling the construction of recombinant proviral HIV-2 DNAs in a moderate copy number plasmid that allows the analysis of env gene structure and functionality. This method constitutes an important tool for the study of HIV-2 env glycoproteins and for the mappings of genetic determinants of HIV-2 coreceptor usage and CD4-independent interaction. Furthermore, this knowledge will help towards the understanding of the different pathogenic mechanisms of HIV-1 and HIV-2.
Unidade dos Retrovi;rus e Infecções Associadas-Centro de Patogénese Molecular, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. das Forças Armadas, 1649-019 Lisboa, Portugal. miguel.pereira@ff.ul.pt
J M
JM
Azevedo-Pereira
Q
Q
Santos-Costa
N
N
Taveira
F
F
Veríssimo
J
J
Moniz-Pereira
D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D015752:Genes, env; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology; D011533:Proviruses; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000502:physiology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015686:Gene Products, env; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; D011994:Recombinant Proteins