Fig. 1.
Constructs used in the current study. (A) Schematic representation of the SHIV constructs. SHIVDH12-CL7 and SHIVAD8-MV are chimeric viruses expressing HIV-1 Vpr, Tat, Rev, Vpu, and Env products (shaded areas) in a SIVmac239 genetic background. The region encompassing the vpu gene is expanded, and vpu mutants are shown schematically. TMrd, randomized TM domain. (B) Amino acid alignment of Vpu variants employed in this study. Amino acid differences between parental HIV-1 Vpu proteins and those present in SHIV isolates are highlighted in red. The randomized TM sequences in the Urd mutants are shown in blue. Amino acid differences between HIV-1NL4-3 Vpu and HIV-1DH12 or HIV-1Ada Vpu are shown in green.