Deletion of the AcMNPV core gene ac109 results in budded virions that are non-infectious

Journal Article · Sat Jun 20 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Virology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2009.04.003· OSTI ID:21357523

Minggang, Fang ^[1]; Nie, Yingchao ^[2]

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1. Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Box 5000, Summerland, B.C., V0H 1Z0 (Canada)
2. Plant Science, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4 (Canada)

Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) ac109 is a core gene and its function in the virus life cycle is unknown. To determine its role in the baculovirus life cycle, we used the AcMNPV bacmid system to generate an ac109 deletion virus (vAc{sup 109KO}). Fluorescence and light microscopy showed that transfection of vAc{sup 109KO} results in a single-cell infection phenotype. Viral DNA replication is unaffected and the development of occlusion bodies in vAc{sup 109KO}-transfected cells evidenced progression to the very late phases of viral infection. Western blot and confocal immunofluorescence analysis showed that AC109 is expressed in the cytoplasm and nucleus throughout infection. In addition, AC109 is a structural protein as it was detected in both budded virus (BV) and occlusion derived virus in both the envelope and nucleocapsid fractions. Titration assays by qPCR and TCID{sub 50} showed that vAc{sup 109KO} produced BV but the virions are non-infectious. The vAc{sup 109KO} BV were indistinguishable from the BV of repaired and wild type control viruses as determined by negative staining and electron microscopy.

• OSTI ID: 21357523
• Journal Information: Virology, Journal Name: Virology Journal Issue: 1-2 Vol. 389; ISSN VIRLAX; ISSN 0042-6822
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
ANIMALS
ARTHROPODS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CYTOPLASM
DNA REPLICATION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
EMISSION
FLUORESCENCE
GENES
INSECTS
INVERTEBRATES
LEPIDOPTERA
LIFE CYCLE
LUMINESCENCE
MICROORGANISMS
MICROSCOPY
MOTHS
NUCLEIC ACID REPLICATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PARASITES
PHOTON EMISSION
PROTEINS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
TITRATION
VIRUSES
VOLUMETRIC ANALYSIS