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Distinct evolutionary pressures underlie diversity in simian immunodeficiency virus and human immunodeficiency virus

Will Fischer1, Cristian Apetrei, Mario L Santiago

  • 1Theoretical Biology, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA. btk@lanl.gov

Journal of Virology
|October 12, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) diversity is lower than human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) diversity, with less diversifying evolution observed in SIV proteins. This impacts the utility of the SIV/macaque model for AIDS research.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection in rhesus macaques models human AIDS.
  • SIV isolates used in research originate from sooty mangabeys (SIVsmm).
  • HIV-1 diversity evolved over a century, while SIVsmm evolved over millennia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate evolutionary differences between SIVsmm and HIV-1.
  • Analyze selection pressures and diversity in SIVsmm and HIV-1.
  • Assess the implications for the SIV/macaque model and AIDS vaccine design.

Main Methods:

  • Isolated and sequenced 20 independent SIVsmm isolates from natural infections.
  • Analyzed viral protein diversity and selection pressures.
  • Compared SIVsmm diversity to HIV-1 M group diversity.

Main Results:

  • SIVsmm exhibited lower overall diversity compared to HIV-1 M group.
  • Reduced positive selection was observed in SIVsmm proteins, particularly Gag p27 and Env gp120.
  • SIVsmm Env and Gag proteins were less diverse than their HIV-1 counterparts, possibly due to lower immune activity in mangabeys.

Conclusions:

  • SIVsmm and HIV-1 display distinct evolutionary patterns and diversity levels.
  • Lower SIV diversity may stem from reduced immune pressure in natural hosts.
  • Findings add complexity to the SIV/macaque model's interpretation and predictive utility for AIDS research.

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