title: High frequency of genetic recombination is a common feature of primate lentivirus replication.
abstract: Recent studies indicate that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) recombines at exceedingly high rates, approximately 1 order of magnitude more frequently than simple gammaretroviruses such as murine leukemia virus and spleen necrosis virus. We hypothesize that this high frequency of genetic recombination is a common feature of primate lentiviruses. Alternatively, it is possible that HIV-1 is unique among primate lentiviruses in possessing high recombination rates. Among other primate lentiviruses, only the molecular mechanisms of HIV-2 replication have been extensively studied. There are reported differences between the replication mechanisms of HIV-1 and those of HIV-2, such as preferences for RNA packaging in cis and properties of reverse transcriptase and RNase H activities. These biological disparities could lead to differences in recombination rates between the two viruses. Currently, HIV-1 is the only primate lentivirus in which recombination rates have been measured. To test our hypothesis, we established recombination systems to measure the recombination rates of two other primate lentiviruses, HIV-2 and simian immunodeficiency virus from African green monkeys (SIVagm), in one round of viral replication. We determined that, for markers separated by 588, 288, and 90 bp, HIV-2 recombined at rates of 7.4%, 5.5%, and 2.4%, respectively, whereas SIVagm recombined at rates of 7.8%, 5.6%, and 2.7%, respectively. These high recombination rates are within the same range as the previously measured HIV-1 recombination rates. Taken together, our results indicate that HIV-1, HIV-2, and SIVagm all possess high recombination frequencies; hence, the high recombination potential is most likely a common feature of primate lentivirus replication.
authors.affiliation: HIV Drug Resistance Program, NCI-Frederick, P.O. Box B, Building 535, Room 336, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
authors.forename: Jianbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Wei-Shau
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D017958:Lentiviruses, Primate / Q000502:physiology*; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000235:genetics; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine