HIV type 1 diversity and the reliability of the heteroduplex mobility assay
Loussert-Ajaka, I.; Menu, E.; Apetrei, C.; Peeters, M.; Damond, F.; Mauclère, P.; Eberle, J.; Brengues, C.; Saragosti, S.; Barré-Sinoussi, F.; Brun-Vézinet, F.; Simon, F.
Aids Research and Human Retroviruses 14(10): 877-883
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0889-2229
PMID: 9671216
DOI: 10.1089/aid.1998.14.877
Accession: 003157555
We investigated HIV-1 diversity by means of heterodupiex mobility assay (HMA) genotyping. We studied 199 samples from patients originating from 26 countries and living in France. The HMA successfully genotyped 182 (91%) of these samples, as follows: 77 (42%) subtype A, 57 (31%) subtype B, 5 (3%) subtype C, 5 (3%) subtype D, 8 (4%) subtype E, 22 (12%) subtype F, 5 (3%) subtype G, and 3 (2%) subtype H. We were not able to genotype 12 samples by means of the HMA. These latter strains were sequenced, and phylogenetic analyses revealed that they were highly divergent subtype A-, D-, or G-related strains. Eight (of 12) subtype D strains were indeterminate by HMA, owing to the broad intrasubtype diversity, suggesting that new reference subtype D plasmids are required, as previously proposed. Thirty-seven strains belonging to the different subtypes were sequenced, and the results showed perfect concordance with the HMA results. Interlaboratory quality controls confirmed the reliability of the HMA for HIV-1 subtyping, despite the extensive viral variability. However, plasmid selection must be continuously revised to cover viral diversification.