FIG 8.

Tetherin antagonism by Vpu and Nef consensus sequences for six different HIV-1 subtypes. Vpu and Nef consensus sequences for HIV-1 subtypes A, B, C, D, G, and CRF_02 AG were compared for their abilities to rescue virus release from HEK293T cells cotransfected with proviral DNA for HIV-1 NL4-3 Δvpu Δnef and a construct for human tetherin. Virus release was assessed by measuring the accumulation of p24 capsid in cell culture supernatants by an antigen capture ELISA (A) and by comparing the amount of p24 in supernatants to the amount of p55 Gag in cell lysates by Western blot analysis (B). The error bars represent the standard deviations of the means for three independent assays, and differences in mean virus release compared to the empty vector control (pCGCG) were significant for all Vpu constructs and C1 Nef by ordinary one-way ANOVA with adjustment for multiple comparisons (****, P ≤ 0.0001).