HIV Subtype C Diversity: Analysis of the Relationship of Sequence Diversity to Proposed Epitope Locations
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Date
2002
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Western Cape
Abstract
Southern Africa is facing one of the most serious HIV epidemics. This project contributes to the HIVNET, Network for Prevention Trials cohort for vaccine development. HIV's biology and rapid mutation rate have made vaccine design difficult. We examined HIV-l subtype C diversity and how it relates to CTL epitope location along viral gag sequences. We found a negative correlation between codon sites under positive selection and epitope regions; suggesting epitope regions are evolutionarily conserved. It is possible that detected due to the reference
regions, yet fail to be viral population. To test if CTL clustering is an we calculated differences between the gag codons and the a weak negative correlation, suggesting epitopes in less conserved regions maybe evading detection. Locating conserved and optimal epitopes that can be recognized by CTLs is essential for the design of vaccine reagents.
Description
>Magister Scientiae - MSc
Keywords
HIV, Subtype C, Cytotoxic T Lymphoctyes (CTL), Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA), Positive Selection, Maximum Likelihood, Phylogenetic, Immunology, Evolution, Southern Africa