Characterization of a Novel Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIVmonNG1) Genome Sequence from a Mona Monkey ( Cercopithecus mona )

Abstract

ABSTRACT A novel simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) sequence has been recovered from RNA extracted from the serum of a mona monkey ( Cercopithecus mona ) wild born in Nigeria. The sequence was obtained by using novel generic (degenerate) PCR primers and spans from two-thirds into the gag gene to the 3′ poly(A) tail of the SIVmonNG1 RNA genome. Analysis of the open reading frames revealed that the SIVmonNG1 genome codes for a Vpu protein, in addition to Gag, Pol, Vif, Vpr, Tat, Rev, Env, and Nef proteins. Previously, only lentiviruses infecting humans (human immunodeficiency virus type 1 [HIV-1]) and chimpanzees (SIVcpz) were known to have a vpu gene; more recently, this has also been found in SIVgsn from Cercopithecus nictitans . Overall, SIVmonNG1 most closely resembles SIVgsn: the env gene sequence groups with HIV-1/SIVcpz env sequences, whereas the pol gene sequence clusters closely with the pol sequence of SIVsyk from Cercopithecus albogaris . By bootscanning and similarity plotting, the first half of pol resembles SIVsyk, whereas the latter part is closer to SIVcol from Colobus guereza . The similarities between the complex mosaic genomes of SIVmonNG1 and SIVgsn are consistent with a shared or common lineage. These data further highlight the intricate nature of the relationships between the SIVs from different primate species and will be helpful for unraveling these associations.