Rev-Rev Response Element Activity Selection Bias at the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission Bottleneck.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is inefficient and results in selection of viral variants based on incompletely understood factors. Functional variation in the Rev-Rev response element (RRE) regulatory axis of HIV affect replication kinetics and relative expression of viral proteins. We explored whether differences in this axis among viral isolates affect transmission fitness.

Methods

HIV sequences were identified from nine female-to-male transmission pairs. Using a rapid flow cytometric assay, we analyzed Rev-RRE functional activity of primary isolates.

Results

Rev-RRE activity was significantly lower in recipient viruses compared with corresponding donor viruses. In most transmission events, recipient virus Rev-RRE activity clust

SUBMITTER: Jackson PEH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10580148 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature