HyperPack: a software package for the study of levels, contexts, and patterns of APOBEC-mediated hypermutation in HIV.
G-to-A hypermutation, a massive substitution of G for A, was first observed in HIV genomes 15 years ago. Initially ascribed to fluctuating nucleotide pools or PCR errors, it has now been recognized as the result of an important host-defense mechanism mediated by APOBECs, a family of sequence-specific cytidine deaminases. Levels of hypermutation vary, and APOBECs have different preferences for the sequence context of cytidines targeted for deamination; analysis of hypermutation provides important information about the host-virus interaction during viral replication. Here we present HyperPack, a software package to support systematic characterization of hypermutated sequences. Users can define the context of substitution for independent study of the effects of different APOBECs. The SubstrateScan and HyperScan modules are overlapping sliding-window strategies to analyze the distribution of targeted motifs and their substitution levels, respectively, across the viral genome. HyperPack is a platform-flexible, Java stand-alone application available through http://www.hivresearch.org/hyperpack/.
Kijak
Gustavo H
GH
U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, 1600 East Gude Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. gkijak@hivresearch.org
Janini
Mario
M
Tovanabutra
Sodsai
S
Sanders-Buell
Eric E
EE
Birx
Debora L
DL
Robb
Merlin L
ML
Michael
Nelson L
NL
McCutchan
Francine E
FE
D000071479:APOBEC-1 Deaminase; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase; D030561:Databases, Nucleic Acid; D006678:HIV / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional / Q000235:genetics; D012984:Software
D000071479:APOBEC-1 Deaminase; C000605089:APOBEC1 protein, human; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase