Human Immunodeficiency Viruses

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUSES: HIV-l AND HIV-2

Tat-independent replication of human immunodeficiency viruses.

The replication of human immunodeficiency retroviruses involves a complex series of events that is regulated at both transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. The tat gene product is a potent trans-activator of viral transcription and therefore an attractive target for the development of antiviral drugs. Tat-defective HIV-1 proviral DNA clones have been shown previously to be replication ...

Evolutionary origin of human and simian immunodeficiency viruses.

From what viruses the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIVs) originated is an extremely controversial question. To address this question, we have analyzed nucleotide sequences of simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) and HIVs by using the techniques for understanding molecular evolution. In particular, we compared the nucleotide sequences of whole genomes, gene region by gene region, between a ...

Natural immunity against human immunodeficiency viruses: prospects for AIDS vaccines.

We have hypothesized and have presented evidence that there may be another form of immunity, other than humoral and cellular immunities, which operates against retroviruses. In order to distinguish it from the traditional immune responses, we have named this form of immunity "molecular immunity". The major goal of this hypothesis is to better define the "messenger molecules" that are critical i...

Molecular evolution of the human immunodeficiency and related viruses.

A phylogenetic tree for different human immunodeficiency viruses type 1 (HIV1) and type 2 (HIV2), lentiviruses, and oncoviruses has been constructed by comparing the nucleotide sequences of the two regions of their pol genes that encode the reverse transcriptase and endonuclease/integrase. The analysis indicates that (1) different HIV1 strains form one cluster and their common ancestor diverged...