title: The antigenic tip GPGRAFY of the V3 loop on HIV-1 gp120: genetic variability and subtypes.
abstract: V3 loop on HIV-1 gp120 is tightly correlated with syncytium formation, coreceptor usage, virus infectivity and antibody neutralization. The antigenic tip GPGRAFY with its flanking sequence has a conserved secondary structure, and is the target of neutralizing antibodies. We analyzed its genetic variability in 30096 M-group isolates and 269 O-group isolates. Subtype-related restricted mutations were observed, which could help to identify subtypes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Biology, Tsinghua University, Protein Science Laboratory of MOE, Beijing 100084, PR China. xndong00@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn
authors.forename: Xiao-Nan
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.forename: Ying-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120