A major concern in AIDS vaccine development is the tremendous genetic heterogeneity seen between HIV isolates. In an effort to gain a better understanding of the consequences of viral heterogeneity on the efficacy of AIDS vaccines, the NIAID has established an HIV Variation Initiative consisting of a genetic cloning and sequencing laboratory funded through the Genetic Sequence Variability of HIV-l and Related Lentiviruses contract, a virology/immunology laboratory funded through the Antigenic Variation of HIV-l and Related Lentiviruses contract, and the HIV Sequence Database and Analysis Unit. Blood and tissue samples from HIV-infected individuals will be sent to the contract virology/immunology laboratory, where virus will be isolated and characterized immunologically. Genetic analysis of these same samples will be carried out by the Genetic Sequence Variability of HIV-l and Related Lentiviruses Contractor. Compilation and analysis of both the immunological and genetic data will be carried out at the Sequence Database and Analysis Unit in an effort to correlate genetic sequence to immunologic properties of the virus isolates. The Contractor will also be required to clone genes from virus isolates into various expression vectors in order to facilitate future variation studies. It is anticipated that by combining functional serology data with the genetic sequence data obtained from virus isolates, a meaningful classification system for HIV isolates will be devised that will be directly applicable to vaccine design.

Project Start
1993-07-15
Project End
1998-07-14
Budget Start
1996-09-27
Budget End
1997-07-14
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1996
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Alabama Birmingham
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
004514360
City
Birmingham
State
AL
Country
United States
Zip Code
35294
Sharp, P M; Bailes, E; Robertson, D L et al. (1999) Origins and evolution of AIDS viruses. Biol Bull 196:338-42
Gao, F; Robertson, D L; Carruthers, C D et al. (1998) A comprehensive panel of near-full-length clones and reference sequences for non-subtype B isolates of human immunodeficiency virus type 1. J Virol 72:5680-98
Gao, F; Robertson, D L; Carruthers, C D et al. (1998) An isolate of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 originally classified as subtype I represents a complex mosaic comprising three different group M subtypes (A, G, and I). J Virol 72:10234-41
Soares, M A; Robertson, D L; Hui, H et al. (1997) A full-length and replication-competent proviral clone of SIVAGM from tantalus monkeys. Virology 228:394-9
Salminen, M O; Carr, J K; Robertson, D L et al. (1997) Evolution and probable transmission of intersubtype recombinant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in a Zambian couple. J Virol 71:2647-55
Gao, F; Robertson, D L; Morrison, S G et al. (1996) The heterosexual human immunodeficiency virus type 1 epidemic in Thailand is caused by an intersubtype (A/E) recombinant of African origin. J Virol 70:7013-29
Robertson, D L; Hahn, B H; Sharp, P M (1995) Recombination in AIDS viruses. J Mol Evol 40:249-59
Sharp, P M; Robertson, D L; Hahn, B H (1995) Cross-species transmission and recombination of 'AIDS' viruses. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 349:41-7