The molecular clock of HIV-1 unveiled through analysis of a known transmission history.

ABSTRACT: Detailed knowledge about the rate and mode of the genetic variation is vital for understanding how HIV-1 induces disease and develops resistance as well as for studies on the molecular epidemiology and origin of the virus. To unveil the molecular clock of HIV-1 we analyzed a unique set of viruses from a known transmission history with separation times between samples of up to 25 years. The env V3 and p17gag regions of the genome were sequenced, and genetic distances were estimated by using the true tree and a nucleotide substitution model based on a general reversible Markov process with a gamma distribution to account for differences in substitution rates among sites. Linear regression analysis showed that separation times were significantly correlated with synonymous as well as nonsynony

SUBMITTER: Leitner T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC17955 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature