Nucleotide sequences derived from the genome of retroviruses of the HIV-1, HIV-2 and SIV type, and their uses in particular for the amplification of the genomes of these retroviruses and for the in vitro diagnosis of the diseases due to these viruses

A polypeptide fragment of a viral protein encoded by a nucleotide sequence from a viral genome selected from the group consisting of HIV-1 Bru, HIV-1 Mal, HIV-1 Eli, HIV-2 ROD, or SIV-1 MAC and expressed by a method comprising:

• a) amplifying the nucleotide sequence encoding said polypeptide with at least two primers, wherein said first primer is complementary to a first region of nucleotides of a nucleic acid of said viral genome, and said second primer is complementary to a second region of nucleotides of a strand of DNA complementary to said nucleic acid of said viral genome, wherein said first and second regions of nucleotides are separated by about 100 to about 1100 base pairs, and said at least two primers are selected from the group of nucleotides, oriented in the 5′ to 3′ direction, consisting of:
• SEQ ID NO:68;
• nucleotides 6905–6930 (SEQ ID NO:46), 7055–7077 (SEQ ID NO:48), 7360–7384 (SEQ ID NO:49), 7832–7857 (SEQ ID NO:52), 8844–8869 (SEQ ID NO:53), 7629–7647 (SEQ ID NO:55), and 8224–8242 (SEQ ID NO:56) of the env gene of HIV-1 Bru;
• nucleotides 6930–6905 (SEQ ID NO:47), 7384–7360 (SEQ ID NO:50), 7857–7832 (SEQ ID NO:51), 8869–8844 (SEQ ID NO:54), and nucleotides 8242–8224 (SEQ ID NO:57) of a nucleic acid sequence complementary to the env gene of HIV-1 Bru;
• nucleotides 6903–6928 (SEQ ID NO:46), 7053–7075 (SEQ ID NO:48), 7349–7373 (SEQ ID NO:49), 7821–7846 (SEQ ID NO:52), 7612–7630 (SEQ ID NO:55), 8213–8231 (SEQ ID NO:56), and 8836–8861 (SEQ ID NO:53) of the env gene of HIV-1 Mal;
• nucleotides 6928–6903 (SEQ ID NO:47), 7373–7349 (SEQ ID NO:50), 7846–7821 (SEQ ID NO:51), 8861–8836 (SEQ ID NO:54), and 8231–8213 (SEQ ID NO:57) of a nucleic acid sequence complementary to the env gene of HIV-1 Mal;
• nucleotides 6860–6885 (SEQ ID NO:46), 7010–7032 (SEQ ID NO:48), 7306–7330 (SEQ ID NO:49), 7775–7800 (SEQ ID NO:52), 8787–8812 (SEQ ID NO:53), 7572–7590 (SEQ ID NO:55), and 8167–8185 (SEQ ID NO:56) of the env gene of HIV-1 Eli;
• and
• nucleotides 6885–6860 (SEQ ID NO:47), 7330–7306 (SEQ ID NO:50), 7800–7775 (SEQ ID NO:51), 8812–8787 (SEQ ID NO:54), and 8185–8167 (SEQ ID NO:57) of a nucleic acid sequence complementary to the env gene of HIV-1 Eli;
• b) introducing said amplified nucleotide sequence into a vector;
• c) transforming a host cell with said vector;
• d) placing said transformed host cell in culture;
• and
• e) expressing said polypeptide.