CHARACTERIZATION OF A MOLECULAR CLONE OF HIV TYPE-2 INFECTIOUS FOR MACACA-NEMESTRINA

A lambda phage clone containing a full-length HIV-2 provirus, designat ed HIV-2(KR), was obtained from the genomic DNA of Molt4 clone 8 (Molt 4/8) lymphoblastic cells infected with the HIV-2(PEI2) strain, HIV-2(K R) is genetically distinct from known HIV-2 isolates, possessing both a unique deletion in the LTR promoter region, and a long rev reading f rame, It is replication competent in vitro after transfection into Mol t4/8 cells, replicates in a variety of established human T lymphoblast ic (Molt-3, Molt4/8, SupT1, H9, C8166) and myelomonocytic (U937) cell lines, and displays prominent cytopathic effects on infection of Molt4 /8 cells, reflecting usage of both CCR5 and CXCR4 coreceptors, In addi tion, HIV-2(KR) was found to be infectious for human and Macaca nemest rina peripheral blood lymphocytes, and primary human monocyte-macropha ge cultures, Intravenous inoculation of cell-free virus into M. nemest rina resulted in infection characterized by transient, low-level virem ia and modest temporary decline in CD4 lymphocyte numbers, making HIV- 2(KR) the first HIV-2 molecular clone reported to be infectious for th is primate species.