Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #303998
Title: Genomic analysis of five Lymantria dispar nucleopolyhedrovirus isolates and biological activity against different host strains of Lymantria dispar

Author
item Harrison, Robert - Bob
item Rowley, Daniel
item KEENA, MELODY - Forest Service (FS)

Submitted to: Society for Invertebrate Pathology Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/20/2014
Publication Date: 7/18/2014
Citation: Harrison, R.L., Rowley, D.L., Keena, M.A. 2014. Genomic analysis of five Lymantria dispar nucleopolyhedrovirus isolates and biological activity against different host strains of Lymantria dispar. Society for Invertebrate Pathology Annual Meeting. p.81.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: To evaluate genetic diversity of Lymantria dispar nucleopolyhedrovirus (LdMNPV) at the genomic level, five isolates of LdMNPV from North America, Europe, and Asia were selected for complete genome sequence determination and analysis. These isolates consist of LdMNPV-2161 from Korea; LdMNPV-3029, a sample of the product Virin-Ensh, from Russia; LdMNPV-3041 from Japan; LdMNPV-3054 from Spain, and LdMNPV-Ab-a624, a plaque isolate from a sample collected in Massachussetts, USA. The genome sequences of these isolates were co-linear with the genome sequence of the reference isolate LdMNPV 5-6, derived from the Gypchek product. LdMNPV 5-6 ORFs ld31, ld66, and ld133 were not found in the other five isolates, while all other ORFs annotated for isolate 5-6 were present in at least one other isolate. The greatest degree of sequence divergence among the isolates was observed among the bro genes, especially in the two clusters of bro genes between chitinase (ld70) and ld76 and between ld111 and dutpase (ld116). A 2-nt deletion in the enhancin gene vef-2 (ld160) of LdMNPV-Ab-a624 resulted in a frameshift and truncation of the vef-2 ORF, while a deletion in LdMNPV-3041 entirely removed vef-1 (ld65). Bioassays against the New Jersey Standard Strain of L. dispar did not indicate any reduced pathogenicity due to mutation or deletion of vef genes in either isolate 3041 or Ab-a624. In bioassays against L. dispar from Japan, Russia, Europe, and North America, isolates 2161, 3029, and 3041 exhibited a greater degree of pathogenicity against neonate larvae than a sample of Gypchek.