The role of the immune system and viral factors for the differential molecular evolution of HIV-1 subtype B/B (B07*)

• Subject Area: Virology
• Term: from 2009 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 47100475

Strong intra-patient evolution can enable HIV-1 to overcome the host immune system and antiretroviral therapy. In this project we ask how retroviral evolution under selection pressure by the immune system and antiretroviral therapy depends on the genomic background of the virus. To this end, we will study comparatively the evolution of HIV-1 with two closely related genomic backgrounds, pandemic subtype B and its East Asian variant B', using full retroviral genomes extracted from patients. Differential interactions across retroviral genomes and between retrovirus and host will be pinpointed by in vitro experiments and statistical genome analyses.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 60: Mutual Interaction of Viruses with Cells of the Immune System: From Fundamental Research to Immunotherapy and Vaccination
• Applicant Institution: Universität Duisburg-Essen
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Peter Bayer; Professor Dr. Daniel Hoffmann, Ph.D.