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Updated: Jul 4, 2026
A Restriction Enzyme Based Cloning Method to Assess the In vitro Replication Capacity of HIV-1 Subtype C Gag-MJ4 Chimeric Viruses
Published on: August 31, 2014
Identification of a Complex HIV-1 Circulating Recombinant Form (CRF203_cpx) Originating from Three Main Circulating
Min Chen1,2, Huichao Chen1, Yanling Ma1
1Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, Yunnan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Kunming, China.
Abstract:
Yunnan Province is recognized as a hotspot for the emergence of HIV-1 recombinant forms due to its complex epidemiological history. This study identified a novel circulating recombinant form (CRF) of HIV-1 in the region, designated as CRF203_cpx. Near-full-length genome sequences were obtained from three individuals infected through heterosexual contact in Wenshan Prefecture, an area located near the border with Vietnam. These sequences formed a distinct monophyletic clade with strong bootstrap support, separate from all known subtypes and CRFs. The genome of this strain can be divided into 14 subregions: S1, S4, S7, and S8 were derived from CRF55_01B; S2, S11, and S13 from CRF07_BC; and S3, S5, S6, and S12 from CRF01_AE. S9, S10 and S14 were likely derived from recombination between CRF01_AE and CRF55_01B. Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo analysis indicated that CRF203_cpx emerged between 2018 and 2021. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a complex CRF comprising three CRFs (CRF01_AE, CRF07_BC, and CRF55_01B) has been definitively identified in China. This reveals the dynamic process by which circulating strains accumulate evolutionary changes through multilevel recombination, raising new considerations for current surveillance and control strategies.
