IDENTIFICATION OF HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 SUBTYPES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION IN THE COMMONWEALTH-OF-INDEPENDENT-STATES (FORMER SOVIET-UNION) BY SEROLOGIC V3 PEPTIDE-BINDING ASSAYS AND V3 SEQUENCE-ANALYSIS

Serologic V3 loop peptide-binding assays have been used to predict div ergent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) strains from the Co mmonwealth of Independent States (former Soviet Union) that have been subsequently confirmed by sequencing of the V3 region. Initial screeni ng was done by MN V3 peptide binding; 12 parenterally infected HIV-1-p ositive subjects from Elista and Rostov (group 1) with low-titer MN bi nding and 6 heterosexually infected HIV-1-positive adults from Byeloru ssia (group 2) with high-titer MN binding were selected. A consensus s equence from the Elista and Rostov areas was generated; a correspondin g 14-mer peptide was synthesized and used in an indirect ELISA to scre en sera from 392 individuals from diverse geographic areas. Reactivity to the consensus peptide was 82% in subjects from the homologous area s and 11%-38% in other areas. Antibody binding to a panel of synthetic V3 peptides may be used to predict the presence of diverse strains of HIV-1 within virally heterogeneous populations.