Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1992. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV) GENE STRUCTURE AND GENETIC DIVERSITY
The Human Retroviruses. Gallo RC and Jay G, eds. San Diego, Academic Press, p. 35-67, 1991.. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/92678721 Klotman ME; Wong-Staal F; Lab. of Tumor Cell Biology, NCI, Bethesda, MD 20892
Abstract:
HIV-1 and HIV-2 are highly related in their genetic, morphologic, and biologic properties, and they must have diverged recently from a common progenitor. Similar viruses also have been identified in a number of simian species. The genetics of HIV-1 and HIV-2 is reviewed, with emphasis on information obtained from studies of HIV-1. Topics include long terminal repeats (LTR: promoter/enhancer elements and 5' untranslated leader sequence); structural genes (gag, pol, and env); regulatory genes (vif, vpr, tat, rev, vpu, nef, vpx, tnv or tev, and positive strand reading frames); and genetic diversity (env sequence comparisons of the role of immune selection, and biologic diversity). The integrated proviral genome has LTR regions flanking the genes coding for the major structural proteins (gag, pol, and env) located 5' to 3'. The presence of at least six (possibly eight) additional open reading frames that code for proteins involved primarily in gene regulation gives the virus an extraordinary level of complexity. One of the more striking characteristics of HIV-1 is its extreme genetic variability that is not only manifest in strains isolated from various individuals but in strains from a single individual. This remarkable heterogeneity has thwarted efforts to develop a universal vaccine. Despite evidence that supports the existence of biologic variants of the virus, as measured by cell tropism, replication characteristics, and cytopathicity, it has been difficult to link these characteristics directly with genetic profiles and with the course of the disease in the host. Several observations suggest that there is a correlation between biologic variability of HIV isolates and the course of disease in the host. It is reasonable to conclude that genetic diversity contributes to these biologic variations of the virus within an individual. A more complete understanding of the role that genetic variation plays in these relationships will be extremely helpful in developing therapeutic options and vaccine candidates. (212 Refs)
Keywords: Gene Expression Regulation, Viral/*PHYSIOLOGY Genes, env/GENETICS/PHYSIOLOGY Genes, Regulator/*GENETICS/PHYSIOLOGY Genes, Structural, Viral/*GENETICS/PHYSIOLOGY Human HIV/*GENETICS/PATHOGENICITY HIV Envelope Protein gp120/GENETICS HIV Envelope Protein gp41/GENETICS HIV Infections/*GENETICS/MICROBIOLOGY HIV Long Terminal Repeat/GENETICS/PHYSIOLOGY HIV-1/GENETICS HIV-2/GENETICS Variation (Genetics) MONOGRAPH REVIEW
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1992. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
