1st International AIDS Conference Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. - April 14-17, 1985

Int Conf AIDS 1985 Apr 14-17; 1:22 (abstract no. S3A)

Marc Alizon, Pierre Sonigo, Olivier Danos, Stewart Cole, and Simon Wain-Hobson
Pasteur Institut, Paris

The complete 9193 nucleotide sequence of LAV has been determined. In keeping with its unusual cytopathic effect in vitro, the genetic organization of the genome is original. In addition to to encoding the viral gag, pol and env genes the virus carries at least two other open reading frames called Q and F. Orf Q overlaps with the end of pol and is followed by an apparently non-coding region. Orf F follows env and overlaps with the LTR. The LTD is unusual in that (1) it encodes at least one half of orf F and (2) the (-) strand primer is tRNAlys. Both features are comparable to those of the MMTV LTR. Evolutionarily the pol genes of LAV and HTLV-1 are further apart than each is to the pol gene of the avian retrovirus, RSV. All these features conclusively show that LAV is a prototype of a hitherto uncharacterized family of retrovirus and no more related to the HTLVs than to other retroviruses.

850414
S3A

Copyright © 1985 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.