%0 Journal Article %A Wieland, Ulrike %A Seelhoff, Alexander %A Hofmann, Ansgar %A Kûhn, Joachim E. %A Eggers, Hans J. %A Mugyenyi, Peter %A Schwander, Stephen %T Diversity of the vif gene of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in Uganda. %D 1997 %J Journal of General Virology, %V 78 %N 2 %P 393-400 %@ 1465-2099 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-78-2-393 %I Microbiology Society, %X Little sequence information is available for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vif genes of African origin. Here we describe 37 new complete vif genes of 18 AIDS patients from Uganda and showthat vif hasa high in vivo genetic variability. vif proviral DNA sequences of peripheral blood cells were determined by direct sequencing of PCR products. Only 52% of the deduced Vif amino acids were absolutely conserved; when Vif sequences previously analysed were considered, only 32% of the Vif consensus sequence comprised conserved and as such possibly functionally important motifs. The high inter-individual vif variability was in contrast to a very low intra-individual variability. One patient carried a vif gene with a stable C-terminal deletion, but N-terminal truncations were not found in patients’ predominant vif sequences. The vif genes analysed comprised subtypes A, D and an A/D mosaic. Phylogenetic analyses additionally showed that HIV-1 in Uganda has spread across the boundaries of ethnic groups. %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/0022-1317-78-2-393