A SIMPLE AND RAPID METHOD FOR DETERMINING A 32-BP DELETION IN THE GENE FOR THE CHEMOKINE RECEPTOR CCR5

In recent studies, a 32-bp deletion in the coding region of the chemok ine receptor gene CCP5 was reported, which completely blocked penetrat ion of the HIV-I virus into lymphocytes and macrophages, We developed a simple and rapid method for determining this deletion. The use of th is method can greatly accelerate the evaluation of the frequency of th e deletion allele CCP5 Delta 32 in various populations and the determi nation of genotypes for the locus CCPS in HIV-infected individuals. CC P5 was genotyped in three populations from Eastern Europe (Russians, B elarussians, and Bashkirs). Frequencies of the allele CCP5 Delta 32 in these populations did not significantly differ from those in white Am ericans and Europeans from the CEPH sample. Even in Bashkiria, with it s clear Turkic contribution, the frequency of CCP5 Delta 32 reaches 0. 10.