Viral protein R (VPR) is conserved in human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2). To assess its function, we have constructed mutations within the vpr coding regions of HIV-1 and HIV-2 predicted to express truncated VPR products. Infectious virus was produced by each proviral clone and showed similar replication kinetics and cytopathogenicity when compared with the corresponding parental proviral clone.
