ULTRASTRUCTURAL COMPARISON OF THE RETROVIRUSES ASSOCIATED WITH HUMAN AND SIMIAN ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROMES

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  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 53  (2) , 194-199
Abstract
Three isolates of human acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) virus (lymphadenopathy-associated virus, human T cell lymphotropic virus strain III, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-associated retrovirus) were compared with simian AIDS virus by thin section transmission EM. Simian AIDS virus formed intracytoplasmic A particles and budded by ring forms and crescent shapes. The extracellular mature simian AIDS virus exhibited a cylindrical nucleoid within a tubular or conical core shell. The simian AIDS virus was morphologically indistinguishable from Mason-Pfizer monkey virus, the prototype D type retrovirus, although the 2 were readily distinguished by radioimmunoassay and restriction endonuclease mapping. ALl 3 AIDS virus isolates exhibited identical ultrastructure and maturation sequences. The AIDS viruses did not form intracytoplasmic A particles and budded only with crescent-shaped nucleoids. Mature extracellular AIDS viruses contained an eccentric spherical nucleoid within a conical or tubular core shell. AIDS virus showed many morphologic features of the retroviral subfamily Lentivirinae. The AIDS virus isolates appear to form a new group of retroviruses.