Molecular characterization of a novel simian immunodeficiency virus lineage (SIVtal) from northern talapoins ( Miopithecus ogouensis)

• Published in: Virology (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 349; no. 1; pp. 55 - 65
• Main Authors: Liegeois, Florian, Courgnaud, Valerie, Switzer, William M., Murphy, Hayley W., Loul, Severin, Aghokeng, Avelin, Pourrut, Xavier, Mpoudi-Ngole, Eitel, Delaporte, Eric, Peeters, Martine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 25-05-2006
• Subjects: Amino Acid Motifs - genetics; Animals; Base Sequence; Cameroon; Cercopithecidae - virology; Cercopithecus; Evolution; Genes, Viral; Genes, vpu; Genome, Viral; HIV; Lentivirus; Miopithecus ogouensis; Molecular Sequence Data; Non-human primate; Phylogeny; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology; Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - virology; Simian immunodeficiency virus; Simian Immunodeficiency Virus - classification; Simian Immunodeficiency Virus - genetics; Simian Immunodeficiency Virus - isolation & purification; SIV; Talapoin; United States; United States; Cameroon; Talapoin; SIV; Evolution; Cameroon; HIV; Non-human primate
• ISSN: 0042-6822; 1096-0341
• DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2006.01.011

Simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) are found in an extensive number of African primates, and humans continue to be exposed to these viruses by hunting and handling of primate bushmeat and following occupational exposures to captive nonhuman primates. Here, we report the molecular characterization of a new SIV lineage, SIVtal, from wild-caught and captive talapoin monkeys (
Miopithecus ogouensis) from Cameroon and U.S. zoos, respectively. Phylogenetic tree analyses of a small fragment in the
pol gene indicated that all SIVtal strains clustered together forming a single species-specific lineage. Full-length sequence analysis for two strains, SIVtal-00CM266 and SIVtal-01CM8023, from wild-caught animals in Cameroon confirmed that SIVtal was distinct from all primate lentiviruses isolated so far and represents a new SIV lineage. Phylogenetic analyses in different viral genes showed a significant clustering of the SIVtal lineage with the
Cercopithecus-specific SIVs. In addition, SIVtal and
Cercopithecus-specific SIVs share functional motifs in Gag and Env that distinguish them from other primate lentiviruses. Like SIVsyk and SIVdeb, a
vpu gene homologue was also absent in SIVtal. Although northern talapoins belong to the
Miopithecus genus, their SIVs belong to the
Cercopithecus SIV lineage, suggesting evolution from a common ancestor or cross-species transmission between both primate genera.