title: Morphological study on biologically distinct vpx/vpr mutants of HIV-2.
abstract: We have previously shown that human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) without functional vpx and vpr genes is severely defective for viral growth in lymphocytic cells, and suggested that the virions produced in the absence of Vpx and Vpr are critically damaged. To examine the nature of replication-defect for the vpx/vpr double mutant, we quantitatively and morphologically studied the virions produced in cells transfected or infected with wild type clone, single (vpx and vpr mutants) or the double mutant. While no significant difference in virion production was found for various virus clones in transfected cells, a major growth retardation in infected cells was readily observed for the vpx and vpx/vpr mutants. In particular, no viral growth was detected for the double mutant. By contrast to the very distinct growth characteristics of the three mutant clones, no appreciable difference in virion morphology was noted. These results indicated that Vpx and Vpr of HIV-2 may cooperatively contribute to virion infectivity without affecting virion morphogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piroozmand
authors.forename: Boonruang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Khamsri
authors.forename: Mikako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Tsuneo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D016336:Gene Products, vpr / Q000235:genetics*; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009154:Mutation; D014162:Transfection; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014771:Virion / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D016336:Gene Products, vpr; C074286:VPX protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 2; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus