Replication of Mythimna separata entomopoxvirus in High Five™ cells and the construction of a recombinant

A new cypovirus from the Japanese peppered moth, Biston robustus

A cypovirus was isolated from larvae of the Japanese peppered moth, Biston robustus. The viral genome is 23,954 bp comprising 10 segmented double-stranded RNAs with a new electropherotype among cypoviruses. Each segment encodes one putative protein and has non-coding regions that contain conserved sequences at their 5' and 3' termini, 5'-AGAA(U/A)U-3' and 5'-UGC-3', respectively. Seven proteins encoded in the genome are homologous to those of other cypoviruses at a cut-off E-value of 1 × 10^-5. The maximal sequence identities of these proteins with cypovirus homologs are 24.30%-39.40%. These results indicate that the virus isolated is a novel cypovirus; herein designated as Biston robustus cypovirus 24 (BrCPV-24). This newly isolated BrCPV-24 infects the larvae of the silkworm Bombyx mori.

Lymantria mathura nucleopolyhedrovirus: Identification, occurrence and genetic diversity in Iwate Prefecture, Japan

A high prevalence of nuclear polyhedrosis has been observed in larval outbreaks of Lymantria mathura in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. However, the virus responsible has not been identified. Here the virus was designated Lymantria mathura nucleopolyhedrovirus (LymaNPV), based on partial sequence results of the lef-8, lef-9, and polh genes and transmission electron microscopic observations. Diagnosis by polymerase chain reaction targeting of the partial polh gene and a subsequent restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis indicated that LymaNPV was an exclusive causative agent for the nuclear polyhedrosis of the L. mathura larvae. LymaNPV was also detected from a very small fraction of L. dispar larvae that co-occurred with L. mathura larvae where the prevalence of LymaNPV-caused disease was high. A bioassay using LymaNPV against L. dispar larvae produced infection with the inoculated virus. This finding was consistent with the results of the field sample analysis. LymaNPV contained six genome types in the L. mathura populations sampled, as determined by RFLP of LymaNPV genomic DNA and southern blot hybridization analyses. None of the genome types was unique to any sampling site, indicating that some flow had occurred among sites. However, genome-type composition seemed to differ among sites. This study provides basic information about the interaction between L. mathura and LymaNPV.