• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.18-24
• /
• 2001

Expression of the baculovirus major envelope glycoprotein gene(gp64) is regulated by transcription from botha early and late promoters. To develop a transient expression vector under the control of gp64 gene promoter, the gp64 gene of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus-K1(BmNPV-K1) was characterized. The gp64 gene was local-ized at EcoR I-Pst I 7.38-kb fragment of the BmNPV-K1 genome. The EcorR 1-Pst I 7.38-kb fragment was cloned and the nucleotide sequence of 2,277 bases including the coding region of gp64 gene was determined. Based on these results, transient expression vector using gp64 gene promoter was constructed and named as pBm64. E.coli lacZ gene was introduced onto pBm64 as a reporter gene and expressed transiently in B. mori 5(Bm 5) cells. The expression vector transfected into the cells was maintained stably for 1 to 5 days. In order to confirm the expression of the reporter gene by gp64 promoter, recombinant virus was constructed. The recombinant virus has two independent transcription units in opposite orientations with two promoters; gp64 and polyhedrin gene promoters each initiating transcription of $\beta$-galactosidase and polyhedrin, respectively. Polyhedra formation and expression of $\beta$-galactosidase in Bm5 cells infected with the recombinant virus were observed with phase contrast microscope and in situ staining.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.21-26
• /
• 1991

Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) was successfully multiplied in the nuclear of BmN4 cells cultured with insect Grace's medium. By electron microscopic observation, the virons had a single nucleocapsid in an envelope. Polyhedral protein synthesis of BmNPV in BmN4 cells was detected at 18 hr p.i. and polyhedral protein was a singlepolypeptide with a M.W of 30 kd. At 48 hr p.i. polyhedra formation was observed by inverted mociroscope and electron microscope. Genome analysis of BmNPV by restriction endonucleases was not revealed the difference between virus produced in vivo and that in vitro.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.30-35
• /
• 1997

A rapid and sensitive detection of BmNPV contamination in silkworm rearing room was carried by Plymerase chain reaction(PCR). Silkworm nuclear polyhedra were dissolved for the extraction of viral DNA within 30 minutes followed by the treatment of alkaline solution. The combination of primers of NP3 and NP2 was superior in PCR to the other 7 primers applied. Each primer was designed with 20 base in size and Newly designed NP3 of sense and the already reported NP2 for antisense were better in reaction than other primers. PCR products appeared 500bp in size. And annealing was confirmed proper at 55$^{\circ}C$ condition. Amplifiable template DNA amount was confirmed at least 100 ng to 0.1 ng and regarded as applicative for the assay of silkworm rearing environmental condition of sericultural farm. In case of the detection of BmNPV from the dust, sensitivity by PCR was as high as 1,000,000 times than that of microscopic observation.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.49-57
• /
• 1990

To investigate the pathway of Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus(NPV) of Bombyx mori in early stage infection of 2nd instar larva, the larval tissues were observed under electron microscope at interval of 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after virus inoculation. The results are as follows. 1. The intact and enveloped nucleocapsids released from the polyhedra protein in the gut lumen apparently entered with the microvilli. 2. Virus progenies were observed in columnar cell nuclei 24 hours after inoculation, but polyhedra was not seen. The enveloped virus was observed in some of the intercellular spaces between mid-gut cells. 3. Many enveloped virus particles appeared in the basement membrane. These enveloped virus particles passed the basement membrane and gathered at blood cells in heomocoeal. 4. The NPV muliplicates in nuclei of the blood cells and the tracheal cells normally.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.52-56
• /
• 1995

To investigate the effect of hemolymph of silkworm larvae on the multiplication of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) in BmN-4 cells, BmN-4 cells were infected with BmNPV, which were sequentially Heated with the hemolymph exracted from B. mori larvae. When the culture media TC-100 containing 3% fetal bovine serum was mixed with 10% hemolymph heated at 65$^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes, the released polyhedra by multiplication of BmNPV in BmN-4 cells were increased more than those of non-treated. However, multiplication of BmNPV in BmN-4 cells treated with non-heated hemolymph was not effective, since non-heated hemolymph was toxic for the cell growth. The result of plaque assay showed that plaque forming units in BmN-4 cells treated with heated hemolymph are significantly increased, suggesting that efficiency of multiplication of BmNPV in BmN-4 cells is due to increase not of cell growth but of infectivity of BmNPV.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.105-110
• /
• 1998

The baculovirus egt gene encodes an ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase(EGT) which catalyzes the transfer of glucose from UDP-glucose to the insect moltion hormone ecdysteroid resulting in a functionally inactive ecdysteroid. In baculovirus-infected insect larvae, EGT has been shown block molting and pupation. In this study, we compared the development of 4th and 5th instar silkworm, Bombyx mori, larvae injected with either wild-type bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) or a mutant BmNPV(BmEGTZ) in which the egt gene was disrupted by the insertion of a lacZ gene cassette. Larvae injected with BmEGTZ died roughly 12 h more rapidly compared to indentical larvae infected with BmNPV. In addition, BmEGTZ- infected larvae prematurely stopped feeding and gain less weight compared to BmNPV-infected larvae. In order to investigate why BmEGTZ-infected larvae died more rapidly than BmNPV-infected larvae, the array of hemolymph proteins in BmEGTZ-or BmNPV-infected larvae were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. The hemolymph of BmEGTZ-infected larvae showed virus-specific proteins, including polyhedrin, about 12 h earlier than the hemolymph of BmNPV-infected larvae

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.161-166
• /
• 1998

To study the usefulness of Se301 cells, which is originated from Spodoptera exigua and has susceptibility to the Autographa californica NPV (AcNPV), as a host for the AcNPV-based expression vector system, we compared the characteristics of AcNPV in Se301 and Sf-21 cells. The symptom by viral infection was similar in both of cells, but the ratio of polyhedra released from the cell was higher in Se301 cells than in Sf-21 cells. The overall PIB productivity of AcNPV was similar in both cells but the size of polyhedra was larger in Se301 cells. While the polyhedrin expression efficiency was about 2.4 times higher in Se301 cells than in Sf-21 cells, the viral growth was higher in Sf-21 cells. These results suggested that Se301 cell is very useful in the AcNPV-based expression system as a host.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.36-41
• /
• 1996

Recombinant baculoviruses having expanded host range were selected by coinfection of Autographa california NPV and Bombyx mori NPV into Sf-9 and BmN-4 insect cell lines. In order to determine the polyhedra morhplogy of RecS-A6, one of a recombinant baculovirus, polyhedra of RecS-A6 produced in insect cells were observed by phase contrast microscope and scanning electron microscope. The results revealed that the recombinant baculovirus had a various polyhedra morphology which was different from its parental viruses, suggesting that the various morhpology of recombinant baculovirus with an expanded host range was due to the genetic recombination of viral genome. To analyze the genomic recombinantion of the recombinant baculoviruses, genomic DNAs of two parent viruses and RecS-A6 were digested with restriction endonuclease and subjected to agarose gel electrophoresis. Southern blot analysis revealed that RecS-A6 has two polyhedrin gene of AcNPV and BmNPV in a viral genome. Polyhedral protein of recombinant baculovirus was analysed by SDS-PAGE. The result showed that molecular weight of polyhedral protein of RecS-A6 containing two polyhedrin gene of AcNPV and BmNPV was as the 31 kDa band of AcNPV and 30 kDa band of BmNPV.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.137-144
• /
• 1999

Transformation efficiency, virus multiplication and foreign gene expression were characterized in the insect cells transformed with Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) immediate early 1 gene (IE1). Transformation efficiency of insect cells by AcNPV IE1 gene vector horboring foreign gene was approximately 8-fold higher in the Sf9 cells transformed previously with AcNPV IE1 gene than in the normal Sf9 cells. Virus multiplication and foreign gene expression of recombinant baculovirus in the Sf9 cells transformed with AcNPV IE1 gene were similar to those of the normal Sf9 cells. These results suggest that transformed cells displaying foreign gene product by using AcNPV IE1 gene promoter will be useful for the diverse applications of insect cells.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.42-47
• /
• 1996

To investigate the host range determining factors of nuclear polyhedrois virus (NPV), Autographa california NPV and Bombyx mori NPV were coinfected into the two different cell lines, BmN-4 and Sf-9. The recombinant baculoviruses, RecS-A6 and RecB-727 which have an expanded host range, were isolated from Sf-9 and BmN-4 cell lines, respectively. The molecular biological characteristics of the recombinant baculoviruses were investigated. The pathogenicity of RecB-727 was similar to that of wild type BmNPV, while the pathogenicity of RecS-A6 was relatively lower than that of wild type BmNPV. The restriction enzyme digestion patterns of parental viruses and recombinant viruses showed that the recombinant virus has an expanded host range by genetic recombination. Southern blot analysis revealed that the p10 gene of RecB-727 was derived from AcNPV genomic DNA, while RecS-A6 has p10 gene of BmNPV in a viral genome. To investigate the host range expansion mechanism of recombinant baculovirus, HindIII-SacI 0.6 kb DNA fragments of RecS-A6 and RecB-727 were cloned and sequenced. The results showed that of wild type BmNPV helicase gene, suggesting that the expanded host range of recombinant baculoviruses was due to the insertion of BmNPV helicase gene into AcNPV viral genome.