title: Analysis of HIV type 1 subtype C full-length gag gene sequences from India: novel observations and plausible implications.
abstract: Twenty-four HIV-1 gag genes from patients in India were sequenced and analyzed. All measured 1476-1491 nucleotides with an average of 1483 nucleotides in length. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a homogeneous epidemic of HIV-1 subtype C. Intragenotypic divergence of up to 6.6% was present. Fourteen novel conserved signature pattern residues were delineated for HIV-1 subtype C strains. Each of the 15 nucleocapsid (NC) basic residues was highly conserved p6 gag LXSLFG and PT/SAPP motifs were highly conserved except for PTVPT in three and PTAPT in two strains. Zinc finger motifs were conserved in all. Documented HIV-1 subtype C gag immunodominant CTL epitopes were conserved. The evolving predominance and the change in nature of the epidemic from Thai B to that of subtype C in the Northeastern regions of India were observed. Tracking the evolution of the Indian epidemic has implications for developing a vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, India.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: V V S P
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: Arvind
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Seth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D015750:Genes, gag; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D015683:Gene Products, gag