Background information
Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV2), orginally isolated from patients in West Africa, is the dominant form of HIV in West Africa capable of causing the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV2 is closely related to simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIV). HIV1 and HIV2 share similarity in their genomes, transmission, clinical features, immunological effects, and in their action of binding to the same CD4 cellular receptor, but there are significant differences in the amino acid and nucleotide sequences of HIV1 and HIV2, especially within their envelope genes and proteins. Additionally, HIV2 may have a longer incubation period and may be less pathogenic than HIV1. HIV2 gp36 is a transmembrane protein located in the envelope of the virus specific to HIV2 that binds to the putative cellular receptor proteins P45 and P62.
