title: Longitudinal analysis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 nef/long terminal repeat sequences in a cohort of long-term survivors infected from a single source.
abstract: We studied the evolution of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in a cohort of long-term survivors infected with an attenuated strain of HIV-1 acquired from a single source. Although the cohort members experienced differing clinical courses, we demonstrate similar evolution of HIV-1 nef/long-terminal repeat (LTR) sequences, characterized by progressive sequence deletions tending toward a minimal nef/LTR structure that retains only sequence elements required for viral replication. The in vivo pathogenicity of attenuated HIV-1 is therefore dictated by viral and/or host factors other than those that impose a unidirectional selection pressure on the nef/LTR region of the HIV-1 genome.
authors.affiliation: Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, GPO Box 2284, Melbourne 3001, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Melissa J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Churchill
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.forename: Jennifer C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Learmont
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wesselingh
authors.forename: Ian R C
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Deacon
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Gorry
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D015693:Gene Products, nef / Q000235:genetics*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology*; D016325:HIV Long Terminal Repeat / Q000235:genetics*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D015693:Gene Products, nef; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus