Minimal Contribution of APOBEC3-Induced G-to-A Hypermutation to HIV-1 Recombination and Genetic Variation.

ABSTRACT: Although the predominant effect of host restriction APOBEC3 proteins on HIV-1 infection is to block viral replication, they might inadvertently increase retroviral genetic variation by inducing G-to-A hypermutation. Numerous studies have disagreed on the contribution of hypermutation to viral genetic diversity and evolution. Confounding factors contributing to the debate include the extent of lethal (stop codon) and sublethal hypermutation induced by different APOBEC3 proteins, the inability to distinguish between G-to-A mutations induced by APOBEC3 proteins and error-prone viral replication, the potential impact of hypermutation on the frequency of retroviral recombination, and the extent to which viral recombination occurs in vivo, which can reassort mutations in hypermutated genomes. He

SUBMITTER: Delviks-Frankenberry KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4871359 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature