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Identification of full-length transmitted/founder viruses and their progeny in primary HIV-1 infection

Journal Article · · Journal of Experimental Medicine
OSTI ID:956487
Identification of transmitted/founder virus genomes and their progeny by is a novel strategy for probing the molecular basis of HIV-1 transmission and for evaluating the genetic imprint of viral and host factors that act to constrain or facilitate virus replication. Here, we show in a cohort of twelve acutely infected subjects (9 clade B; 3 clade C), that complete genomic sequences of transmitted/founder viruses could be inferred using single genome amplification of plasma viral RNA, direct amplicon sequencing, and a model of random virus evolution. This allowed for the precise identification, chemical synthesis, molecular cloning, and biological analysis of those viruses actually responsible for productive clinical infection and for a comprehensive mapping of sequential viral genomes and proteomes for mutations that are necessary or incidental to the establishment of HIV-1 persistence. Transmitted/founder viruses were CD4 and CCR5 tropic, replicated preferentially in activated primary T-Iymphocytes but not monocyte-derived macrophages, and were effectively shielded from most heterologous or broadly neutralizing antibodies. By 3 months of infection, the evolving viral quasispecies in three subjects showed mutational fixation at only 2-5 discreet genomic loci. By 6-12 months, mutational fixation was evident at 18-27 genomic loci. Some, but not all, of these mutations were attributable to virus escape from cytotoxic Tlymphocytes or neutralizing antibodies, suggesting that other viral or host factors may influence early HIV -1 fitness.
Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC52-06NA25396
OSTI ID:
956487
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-09-00147; LA-UR-09-147
Journal Information:
Journal of Experimental Medicine, Journal Name: Journal of Experimental Medicine; ISSN 0022-1007; ISSN JEMEAV
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English