Full-length genomic sequencing and analysis of four HIV type 1 subtype B isolates circulating in the territory of Russia.

We describe four full-length genomic sequences of HIV-1 subtype B isolates from Russia. These full-length HIV-1 genomes were amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction and sequenced. The sequences obtained were subjected to neighbor-joining phylogenetic analysis using a Kimura two-parameter model and to detailed sequence analysis. Comparison of the sequences obtained with 68 near full-length HIV-1 subtype B sequences from different geographic regions of the world revealed that isolates from Russia did not cluster significantly with other subtype B genomes. Sequences AY819715 and AY751407 significantly formed one cluster, which indicates their close similarity. The HIV-1 genomes obtained from Russia did not form a distinct homogeneous group inside subtype B. Their genetic diversity probably reflects the result of multiple introduction events of different subtype B strains to Russia. Sequences AY819715 and AY751406 possess some features of viruses from long-term survivors, such as specific extensions of the Env V2 region.