Differential Utilization of CCR5 Molecules from Three East African Primate Species by the HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein

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Date
2013
Authors
Mburu, D. N.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Research India Publication
Abstract
This study reports the cloning, sequencing, and functional characterization of novel simian homologs of CCR5 from three species of primates (Papio anubis anubis; Colobus guereza and Cercopithecus neglectus ) which are indigenous to East Africa. Identity at the amino acid level to human CCR5 was 97% for molecules from all three primate species. Functional characterization of these coreceptors was performed using a sensitive gene reporter-based cell-cell fusion assay. Despite a high degree of sequence similarity, significant differences in the degree of M-tropic HIV envelope-specific fusion generated by individual coreceptor molecules were demonstrated. Remarkably, two simian CCR5 molecules (Colobus guereza and Cercopithecus neglectus) demonstrated an increased efficiency of HIV-mediated fusion as compared with the human CCR5 molecule. These results provide further evidence that simian CCR5 molecules differ in their ability to facilitate HIV-1 entry, and may have bearing on the investigation of new simian models for HIV-1 pathogenesis.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
chemokine receptor, olive baboon, colobus monkey, de Brazza monkey, cell fusion assay
Citation
International Journal of Biotechnology and Biochemistry Volume 9, Number 2 (2013) pp. 197-209