title: Molecular characterization of a new mosaic Simian Immunodeficiency Virus in a naturally infected tantalus monkey (Chlorocebus tantalus) from Cameroon: a challenge to the virus-host co-evolution of SIVagm in African green monkeys.
abstract: African green monkeys (AGMs) represent the most widely distributed non-human primates species in Africa. SIVagm naturally infects four of the 6 AGMs species at high prevalence in a species-specific manner. To date, only limited information is available on molecular characteristics of SIVagm infecting Chlorocebus tantalus. Here, we characterized the full-length genome of a virus infecting a naturally infected captive C. tantalus from Cameroon by amplifying and sequencing sub-genomic PCR fragments. The isolate (SIVagmTAN-CM545) is 9923bp long and contained all canonical genes of a functional SIV. SIVagmTAN-CM545 showed a mosaic structure, with gag, pol, nef and accessory genes closely related to SIVagmSAB infecting Chlorocebus sabaeus monkeys from west Africa, and the env gene, closely related to SIVagmTAN infecting tantalus monkeys from Central Africa. Thus SIVagmTAN-CM545 is SIVagmSAB/SIVagmTAN recombinant. These unexpected findings suggest that the evolution of SIVagm is more complex than previously thought and warrant further studies.
authors.affiliation: UMI 233, IRD and University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier, France. Electronic address: ahidjo.ayouba@ird.fr.
authors.forename: Ahidjo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayouba
authors.affiliation: Service de Virologie, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Njouom
authors.affiliation: Virology Laboratory CREMER/IMPM/IRD, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Julius Ebua
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Chia
authors.affiliation: UMI 233, IRD and University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahuka-Mundeke
authors.affiliation: Service de Virologie, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Anfumbom
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kfutwah
authors.affiliation: Virology Laboratory CREMER/IMPM/IRD, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Eitel Mpoudi
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Ngole
authors.affiliation: Service de Virologie, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nerrienet
authors.affiliation: UMI 233, IRD and University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Delaporte
authors.affiliation: UMI 233, IRD and University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier, France; Institut de Biologie Computationnelle, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peeters
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002163:Cameroon; D002520:Cercopithecidae / Q000821:virology*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000821:virology*; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: African green monkeys; Cameroon; Phylogeny; SIV