Importance of the nef gene for maintenance of high virus loads and for development of AIDS.

摘要: When rhesus monkeys were infected with a form of cloned SIVmac239 having premature stop signal at the 93rd codon nef, revertants coding this position quickly and universally came to predominate in animals. This suggests that there are strong selective forces for open functional forms nef vivo. Although deletion sequences had no detectable effect on virus replication cultured cells, dramatically altered properties monkeys. Our results indicate is required maintaining high loads during course persistent infection vivo full pathologic potential. Thus, should become target antiviral drug development. Furthermore, suggest means making live-attenuated strains experimental vaccine testing.