Subtype-specific differences in Gag-protease replication capacity of HIV-1 isolates from East and West Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The HIV-1 epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa is heterogeneous with diverse unevenly distributed subtypes and regional differences in prevalence. Subtype-specific differences in disease progression rate and transmission efficiency have been reported, but the underlying biological mechanisms have not been fully characterized. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the subtypes prevalent in the East Africa, where adult prevalence rate is higher, have lower viral replication capacity (VRC) than their West African counterparts where adult prevalence rates are lower.

Results

Gag-protease sequencing was performed on 213 and 160 antiretroviral-naïve chronically infected participants from West and East Africa respectively and bioinformatic tools were used to infer subtypes and re

SUBMITTER: Farinre O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8097975 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature