COMPLETE INHIBITION OF SIVMAC REPLICATION BY ITS CAPSID MUTANTS

Mutations were introduced into a genomic region encoding the C-termina l portion of Gag capsid protein of pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVmac239). All the mutants generated were defective for virion production and were non-infectious for monkey cells. They all efficie ntly suppressed the replication of wild type SIVmac in monkey cells. T hese results were in good agreement with those obtained for human immu nodeficiency virus type 1, showing the importance of SIV/monkey model system for studies on Gag.