Biopolymers and cell. 1998; 14 (4): 277 - 285

Genetic characterization of HIV-1 variants in Ukraine

V. A. Grebenjuk, O. V. Anoprienko, A. S. Skorokhod, I. L. Marichev, V. M. Kavsan

Here we report first results on genetic characterization of HJV-I samples from Ukraine using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and viral genes sequencing. PCR was done on DNA from uncultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 7 male (all homosexual) and 2 female (one heterosexual and one injection drug user, IDV) HJV-1 seropositive individuals. After the PCR products cloning partial sequencing of HIV-1 gag gene (0.56 kb, p!7-p24), HIV-I env gene (1.1 kb, CS-C5), and HIV-1 nef gene were performed. Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences were aligned to reference strains of different HIV-1 subtypes by CLUSTAL method and phylogenetic neighbor-joining trees were generated. By the results of phylogenetic analysis two HIV-1 samples (one from IDV and one from male homosexual) belonged to subtype A while others were clustered to subtype B by nucieotide as welt as by amino acid sequences. Most closely related env sequences wen; found in samples from a couple of homosexual partners. One rare V3 tip tetramer (RPGR) was found in subtype B env sequence. All three sequenced samples of HIV-I nef gent's belonged to the subtype R. One nef sequence contains unusually long insert in Hie N-terminal region.