Geneticists have identified the specific region on HIV subtype C — prevalent in India, Africa and parts of Latin America — that helps the virus to bind to the target cell and could be the one responsible for an increased rate of replication1.
The researchers have identified a the region called 'gp 120' in subtype C that contributes to increased rates of replication, high viral load and faster disease progression. The subtype C is rapidly spreading across the world and is prevalent in poor countries.
The researchers suggest that the gene could possibly be the one coding for the region and might be responsible for the rapid spread of HIV subtype C.
The authors of this work are from: Department of Immunobiology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA; Virology Group, International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India; Departments of Pathology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
