Adaptation of HIV-1/HIV-2 Chimeras with Defects in Genome Packaging and Viral Replication.

ABSTRACT: Frequent recombination is a hallmark of retrovirus replication. In rare cases, recombination occurs between distantly related retroviruses, generating novel viruses that may significantly impact viral evolution and public health. These recombinants may initially have substantial replication defects due to impaired interactions between proteins and/or nucleic acids from the two parental viruses. However, given the high mutation rates of retroviruses, these recombinants may be able to evolve improved compatibility of these viral elements. To test this hypothesis, we examined the adaptation of chimeras between two distantly related human pathogens: HIV-1 and HIV-2. We constructed HIV-1-based chimeras containing the HIV-2 nucleocapsid (NC) domain of Gag or the two zinc fingers of HIV-2 NC, whi

SUBMITTER: Rawson JMO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9600866 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature