TABLE 1.
Epitopes and mutants
| Epitope | Sequence | MHC | Likely effect of mutation(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gag CM9 | CTPYDINQM | A*01 | |
| Gag CM9 mutanta | CAPYDINQM | P2: secondary anchor | |
| Tat SL8 | STPESANL | A*01 | |
| Tat SL8 mutant | PTPESANQ | P1: binding? P8: C-terminal anchor | |
| Nef IW9 | IRYPKTFGW | B*17 | |
| Nef IW9 mutant | TRYPKIFGW | P1: secondary anchor? P6: TCR |
a
Substitutions within Gag CM9 were associated with isoleucine-to-valine substitutions upstream and downstream of the epitope sequence. Since these substitutions were likely required to restore fitness to the Gag CM9 escape virus (10), they were included in the mutagenesis strategy. We identified no extraepitopic mutations occurring in association with the consensus variants of Tat SL8 or Nef IW9.