Characterization of a Novel Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIVmonNG1) Genome Sequence from a Mona Monkey (<i>Cercopithecus mona</i>)

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p>A novel simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) sequence has been recovered from RNA extracted from the serum of a mona monkey (<jats:italic>Cercopithecus mona</jats:italic>) wild born in Nigeria. The sequence was obtained by using novel generic (degenerate) PCR primers and spans from two-thirds into the<jats:italic>gag</jats:italic>gene to the 3′ poly(A) tail of the SIVmonNG1 RNA genome. Analysis of the open reading frames revealed that the SIVmonNG1 genome codes for a Vpu protein, in addition to Gag, Pol, Vif, Vpr, Tat, Rev, Env, and Nef proteins. Previously, only lentiviruses infecting humans (human immunodeficiency virus type 1 [HIV-1]) and chimpanzees (SIVcpz) were known to have a<jats:italic>vpu</jats:italic>gene; more recently, this has also been found in SIVgsn from<jats:italic>Cercopithecus nictitans</jats:italic>. Overall, SIVmonNG1 most closely resembles SIVgsn: the<jats:italic>env</jats:italic>gene sequence groups with HIV-1/SIVcpz<jats:italic>env</jats:italic>sequences, whereas the<jats:italic>pol</jats:italic>gene sequence clusters closely with the<jats:italic>pol</jats:italic>sequence of SIVsyk from<jats:italic>Cercopithecus albogaris</jats:italic>. By bootscanning and similarity plotting, the first half of<jats:italic>pol</jats:italic>resembles SIVsyk, whereas the latter part is closer to SIVcol from<jats:italic>Colobus guereza</jats:italic>. The similarities between the complex mosaic genomes of SIVmonNG1 and SIVgsn are consistent with a shared or common lineage. These data further highlight the intricate nature of the relationships between the SIVs from different primate species and will be helpful for unraveling these associations.</jats:p>