Recombination is required for efficient HIV-1 replication and the maintenance of viral genome integrity.

ABSTRACT: Retroviruses package two complete RNA genomes into a viral particle but generate only one provirus after each infection. This pseudodiploid replication strategy facilitates frequent recombination, which occurs during DNA synthesis when reverse transcriptase switches templates between two copackaged RNA genomes, generating chimeric DNA. Recombination has played an important role in shaping the current HIV-1 pandemic; however, whether recombination is required for HIV-1 replication is currently unknown. In this report, we examined viral replication when recombination was blocked in defined regions of the HIV-1 genome. We found that blocking recombination reduced viral titers. Furthermore, a significant proportion of the resulting proviruses contained large deletions. Analyses of the deletion

SUBMITTER: Rawson JMO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6237782 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature