Figure 3

CD8+ T cells targeting shared epitopes escaped via accumulation of variants in the reactive epitope. The epitopes Rev12-20 (A), Pol426-434 (B), Vif73-81 (C), and Gag25-34 (D) were shared between the major and minor T/F viruses and showed escape. The top graph in each figure represents the changing frequencies of each epitope as measured by SGA sequencing over time. The bottom graph in each figure represents the absolute magnitude of the T cell responses targeting all tested variants of the epitope, measured using ex vivo IFN-γ ELISpots. Each figure has a different scale on the Y axis for the bottom graph. Data for the T/F epitope are shown using squares, data relating to the escape variants tested in T cell assays are shown as triangles, while in the top graph only, other epitope variants (neither T/F nor tested escape variants) are shown as gray circles (others). Screening corresponds to Fiebig I/II.