Detection of HIV-1 Matrix Protein p17 Quasispecies Variants in Plasma of Chronic HIV-1–Infected Patients by Ultra-Deep Pyrosequencing

Abstract

On the whole, our data show that the intrapatient level of sequence diversity in the p17MA is much higher than predicted before. Our results pave the way for further studies aimed at unraveling possible correlations between the presence of distinct p17MA variants and peculiar clinical evolutions of HIV-1 disease. The presence of p17MA quasispecies diversity may offer new tools to improve our understanding of the viral adaptation during the natural history of HIV-1 infection.