Virus Genes (2004) 29, 19-29

Weizhou Wang, Sean Davison and Peter J. Krell (2004)
Identification and characterization of a major early-transcribed gene of Trichoplusia ni single nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus using the baculovirus expression system
Virus Genes 29 (1), 19-29
Abstract: An early transcribed gene (me-53) of a South Africa strain of Trichoplusia ni single nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (TnSNPV) was sequenced and identified. It has an open reading frame of 1146 nucleotides that encodes a protein of 382 amino acids with a molecular mass of 45.2 kDa. The deduced protein sequence alignment of 13 baculovirus ME-53s indicated that the TnSNPV ME-53 shares the highest homologies with NPV subgroup II-A Spodoptera exigua multiple and Mamestra configurata (Maco) nucleopolyhedrovirus ME-53s. The zinc finger-like motifs at the C-termini of ME-53s are highly conserved with similar patterns of cysteine positions. Upon introduction of the gene and a green fluorescent protein reporter gene into the baculovirus expression vector system, the transcriptional analysis of me-53 in two cell lines infected with the Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) recombinant revealed that an early TnSNPV me-53 transcript can be detected by 1 h postinfection (hpi) until 12 hpi and a late one from 18hpi up to 48 hpi, while early and late transcripts of the AcMNPV me-53 of the recombinant can be detected at 3 and 24 hpi, respectively. This suggested that the early and late promoters of both AcMNPV and TnSNPV me-53s were recognized in recombinant virus-infected cells. The regulatory elements of the TnSNPV me-53 promoter were also analyzed.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Sean Davison, Peter J. Krell

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
molecular biology - genes

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Trichoplusia ni
Alphabaculovirus trini (entomopathogen)			South Africa