Rare HIV-1 subtype J genomes and a new H/U/CRF02-AG recombinant genome suggests an ancient origin of HIV-1 in Angola

Inês Bártolo, Rita Calado, Pedro Borrego, Thomas Leitner, Nuno Taveira

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Angola has an extremely diverse HIV-1 epidemic fueled in part by the frequent interchange of people with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Republic of Congo (RC). Characterization of HIV-1 strains circulating in Angola should help to better understand the origin of HIV-1 subtypes and recombinant forms and their transmission dynamics. In this study we characterize the first near full-length HIV-1 genomic sequences from HIV-1 infected individuals from Angola. Samples were obtained in 1993 from three HIV-1 infected patients living in Cabinda, Angola. Near full-length genomic sequences were obtained from virus isolates. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree inference and analyses of potential recombination patterns were performed to evaluate the sequence classifications and origins. Phylogenetic and recombination analyses revealed that one virus was a pure subtype J, another mostly subtype J with a small uncertain region, and the final virus was classified as a H/U/CRF02-AG recombinant. Consistent with their epidemiological data, the subtype J sequences were more closely related to each other than to other J sequences previously published. Based on the env gene, taxa from Angola occur throughout the global subtype J phylogeny. HIV-1 subtypes J and H are present in Angola at low levels since at least 1993. Low transmission efficiency and/or high recombination potential may explain their limited epidemic success in Angola and worldwide. The high diversity of rare subtypes in Angola suggests that Angola was part of the early establishment of the HIV-1 pandemic.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)822-828
Number of pages7
JournalAIDS Research and Human Retroviruses
Volume32
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2016

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