The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Medical Research Council

Alphavax, Incorporated

University of Cape Town Observatory

Salim Abdol Karim

Robert E Johnston

Ronald I Swanstrom

Carolyn Williamson

Lynn Morris

Embodiments of the invention provide processes for the selection of HIV-1 subtype (clade) C isolates, selected HIV-1 subtype C isolates, their genes and modifications and derivatives thereof for use in prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines to produce proteins and polypeptides for the purpose of eliciting protection against HIV infection or disease. A process for the selection of HIV subtype isolates comprises the steps of isolating viruses from recently infected subjects; generating a consensus sequence for at least part of at least one HIV gene by identifying the most common codon or amino acid among the isolated viruses; and selecting the isolated virus or viruses with a high sequence identity to the consensus sequence. HIV-1 subtype C isolates, designated Du422, Du 151 and Du 179 (assigned Accession Numbers 01032114, 00072724 and 00072725, respectively, by the European Collection of Cell Cultures) are also provided.

Nucleic acids encoding modified South African HIV-1 subtype C gag proteins

Growing community of inventors

Durban, South Africa

Salim Abdol Karim