Conservation of functional domains and limited heterogeneity of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase gene following vertical transmission.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The reverse transcriptase (RT) enzyme of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) plays a crucial role in the life cycle of the virus by converting the single stranded RNA genome into double stranded DNA that integrates into the host chromosome. In addition, RT is also responsible for the generation of mutations throughout the viral genome, including in its own sequences and is thus responsible for the generation of quasi-species in HIV-1-infected individuals. We therefore characterized the molecular properties of RT, including the conservation of functional motifs, degree of genetic diversity, and evolutionary dynamics from five mother-infant pairs following vertical transmission.

Results

The RT open reading frame was maintained with a frequency of 87.2% in fi

SUBMITTER: Sundaravaradan V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1166575 | biostudies-literature | 2005 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature