Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
A mosaic SIVAGM genome provides evidence for simian/simian cross-species transmission in the wild (September 19-22, 1993).
Symp Nonhum Primate Models AIDS. 1993 Sep 19-22;11:abstract no. 29. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE PRIM11/94191622 Hahn BH; Jin MJ; Hui H; Robertson DL; Allan JS; Shaw GM; Sharp PM; University of Alabama at Birmingham 35294.
Abstract:
African Green Monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) are naturally infected with a non-pathogenic lentivirus, termed SIVAGM. There are four major AGM species (vervet, grivet, tantalus, sabaeus), all of which are known to harbor SIVAGM. Because of their abundance, African green monkeys comprise the largest reservoir of primate lentiviruses in the wild. Several isolates of SIVAGM have been molecularly analyzed, and shown to comprise a single, albeit highly diverse group. However, the number of completely sequenced SIVAGM proviruses, as well as sequence information for tantalus and sabaeus isolates, is limited. To study the evolutionary relationships of SIVAGM viruses from different AGM populations, we PCR amplified, cloned, and sequenced complete LTRs and partial (1 kb) env fragments from several vervet, grivet, tantalus, and sabaeus isolates. Phylogenetic analyses of env indicated that all SIVAGM cluster, and that they fall into four subgroups according to their species of origin. Alignment of LTR sequences, however, revealed a duplication of TAR, a feature so far only identified in the HIV-2/SIVSM group of viruses. To examine whether there were additional similarities, we molecularly cloned and sequenced a full-length provirus from a wild-caught sabaeus monkey. In phylogenetic trees derived from protein sequences representing the 3' part of the genome (i.e., the carboxy-terminal half of pol, env, and nef) the sabaeus virus clustered with other AGMs in as high as 100% of bootstrap samples. By contrast, in trees derived from the 5' part of the genome (i.e., gag and the amino-terminal half of pol) the sabaeus virus clustered with the HIV-2/SIVSM group in as many as 99% of bootstrap samples. Thus, this sabaeus isolate has a mosaic genome, which likely resulted from the recombination of two highly divergent viruses. Moreover, branch lengths in the trees suggest that this event did not occur recently. These results suggest that simian-simian cross-species transmission has occurred in the wild. Although the direction of transmission and the species involved remain to be defined, we note that the habitat of sabaeus monkeys is West Africa, a region where HIV-2 and SIVSM are endemic. Simian-simian transfers may contribute to the genetic heterogeneity of primate lentiviruses.
Keywords: Africa, Western Animal Cercopithecus aethiops/*MICROBIOLOGY Cloning, Molecular Genes, env Genes, Reiterated *Genome, Viral Mosaicism Phylogeny Polymerase Chain Reaction Proviruses/GENETICS Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*TRANSMISSION SIV/*GENETICS/*PATHOGENICITY ABSTRACT 940730
M9470896
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
