title: Sequence analysis of a South American HIV type 1 BC recombinant.
abstract: We report the characterization of a near full-length sequence of a South American HIV-1 BC intersubtype recombinant, ARE195FL. This isolate contains a C(gag/pol) B(vpr/vpu/gp160(env)) C(gp41(env)/nef) mosaic structure differing from any BC full-length sequence described to date, and is the first full-length sequence obtained from a South American BC strain. Neighbor-joining analysis revealed that subtype C genomic segments of ARE195FL clustered with the South American group of subtype C strains, suggesting a local emergence of the BC recombinant. Despite having dissimilar genomic structures, ARE195FL shares a common recombination breakpoint in vif, which is a "hot spot" for recombinatory events, with the Chinese BC recombinant prototype CRF07_BC. Further full-length sequence analysis of South American HIV-1 C and BC strains is necessary to determine the relevance and spread of emerging HIV-1 BC recombinants in Latin America.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Retrovirus, Hospital de Pediatría Juan P. Garrahan, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Paula C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Aulicino
authors.forename: Julieta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kopka
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rocco
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mangano
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sen
mesh_terms: D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013020:South America
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral