ABSTRACT
To study the CTL antigen epitopes and drug resistance mutations of HIV-1 gag and pol genes through analyzing gag and pol gene sequences. The HIV-1 gag and pol gene fragments were amplified using nested polymerase chain reaction. A total of 23 PCR sequences, 449 cloned gag sequences and 402 cloned pol sequences were obtained. Sequence analyses showed the 23 samples were subtype B or B'. A total of 4 in 8 CTL antigen epitopes appeared 8 mutations in consensus sequence of subtype B and B'. There were no mutations found in the PCR sequences, whereas a few mutations were found in clone sequences (9.80%) in 5 antigen epitopes in p24 region. Eighteen PIs-related mutations and 24 RTIs-related mutations were found in PCR sequences and clone sequences in pol gene region, in which 17 (94.44%) PIs-related mutations and 15 (62.50%) RTIs-related mutations were found only in the clone sequences, respectively. The results showed that the prevalence of HIV-1 drug resistance strains in this study was at a higher level (17.39%), suggesting that some samples were resistant.to existing antiviral drugs.
