A cell line (NTU-MV) established from Maruca vitrata (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae): Characterization, viral susceptibility, and polyhedra production

Here we describe the establishment of a new cell line, NTU-MV, derived from pupal tissues of an economically important pest, the legume pod borer Maruca vitrata. This cell line contained four major cell types: polymorphic cells, round cells, spindle-shaped cells, and comma cells. The doubling time of MV cells in TNM-FH medium supplemented with 8% FBS at 28 degrees C was 27h. The chromosome numbers of MV cells varied widely from 16 to 268. Compared to other insect cell lines, the MV cell line produced distinct isozyme patterns with esterase, malate dehydrogenase (MDH), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Confirmation that NTU-MV was derived from M. vitrata was demonstrated by showing that the sequence of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) of the MV cells was 98% identical to that of M. vitrata larvae. Two NTU-MV cell strains, NTU-MV1 and NTU-MV56, were selected based on susceptibility to MaviMNPV (M. vitrata multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus). NTU-MV, MV1, and MV56 cells showed a high susceptibility to MaviMNPV and produced high yields of polyhedra (47-50OBs/cell, 4x10(7)-5.96x10(7)OBs/ml) after 2 weeks of MaviMNPV infection. We conclude that the NTU-MV cell line will be a useful tool for studying MaviMNPV as well as for the mass production of MaviMNPV polyhedra for the biocontrol of M. vitrata.     

Genetic variation and virulence of nucleopolyhedroviruses isolated worldwide from the heliothine pests Helicoverpa armigera, Helicoverpa zea, and Heliothis virescens

To assess the diversity and relationships of baculoviruses found in insects of the heliothine pest complex, a PCR-based method was used to classify 90 samples of nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV; Baculoviridae: Alphabaculovirus) obtained worldwide from larvae of Heliothis virescens, Helicoverpa zea, and Helicoverpa armigera. Partial nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of three highly conserved genes (lef-8, lef-9, and polh) indicated that 67 of these samples contained isolates of the H. zea-H. armigera single nucleopolyhedrovirus (Hz/HaSNPV) species group. Eighteen of the samples contained isolates of a multiple NPV from H. armigera, HearMNPV, and five of the samples contained isolates of Autographa californica MNPV (AcMNPV). Sequencing and analysis of an additional seven loci (orf5/orf5b, hr3-orf62, orf26, orf79, orf124/orf117a, orf42, and a part of the region between hr2 and hr3) in the Hz/HearSNPV isolates further classified these viruses into two groups of HearSNPV variants mostly from India and China and a third group of HzSNPV variants. Some of the samples contained isolates of more than one virus. In bioassays of a selection of isolates against H. zea, the commercially available Gemstar® isolate of HzSNPV killed larvae faster than most other Hz/HaSNPV and HearMNPV isolates. Gemstar® and two HearMNPV isolates exhibited significantly higher LC₅₀s than the Hz/HearSNPV isolates tested. This study expands significantly on what we know about the variation of heliothine NPV populations, provides novel information on the distinct groups in which these NPVs occur, and contributes to the knowledge required for improvement of heliothine baculoviruses as biological control agents.     

Relative activity of baculoviruses of the diamondback moth, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plutella xylostella</Emphasis> (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

The relative activities of the granulovirus (PxGV) and the nucleopolyhedrovirus (PxMNPV) of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), against this insect were evaluated in the laboratory. Similar numbers of occlusion bodies (OBs) of PxGV and PxMNPV were required to kill P. xylostella. However, cadavers of insects infected with PxGV contained more OBs per unit weight than did cadavers infected with PxMNPV. Less cadaver material was thus required to kill insects with PxGV. Larvae that were killed by PxGV survived approximately 2 d longer than did those killed by PxMNPV. When P. xylostella larvae were fed both viruses together, mortality was higher than that caused by either virus alone. The virulence of PxMNPV produced in P.␣xylostella did not differ from that of PxMNPV produced in the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner). S. exigua was less susceptible to PxMNPV than to its homologous nucleopolyhedrovirus, SeMNPV. Use of trade names does not imply endorsements by USDA-ARS of products named nor criticism of similar ones not mentioned.     

Population fluctuations of the western tent caterpillar in southwestern British Columbia

Cyclic populations of western tent caterpillars fluctuate with a periodicity of 6–11 years in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Typically, larval survival is high in early stages of the population increase, begins to decline midway through the increase phase, and is low through several generations of the population decline. Fecundity is generally high in increasing and in peak populations but is also reduced during the population decline. Poor survival and low fecundity for several generations cause the lag in recovery of populations that is necessary for cyclic dynamics. The dynamics of tent caterpillar populations vary among sites, which suggests a metapopulation structure; island populations in the rainshadow of Vancouver Island have more consistent cyclic dynamics than mainland populations in British Columbia. Sudden outbreaks of populations that last a single year suggest that dispersal from source to sink populations may occur late in the phase of population increase. Wellington earlier discussed qualitative variation among tent caterpillar individuals as an aspect of population fluctuations. The variation in caterpillar activity he observed was largely statistically nonsignificant. Recent observations show that the frequency of elongate tents as described by Wellington to characterize active caterpillars varies among populations but does not change in a consistent pattern with population density. The level of infection from nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) was high in some populations at peak density but was not associated with all population declines. Sublethal infection can reduce the fecundity of surviving moths, and there is a weak association between viral infection and egg mass size in field populations. The impact of weather in synchronizing or desynchronizing populations is a factor to be investigated further. Received: May 25, 1999 / Accepted: March 28, 2000     

棉铃虫单核衣壳核多角体病毒(HaSNPV)Hind Ⅲ-L片段的序列分析

本文报道了棉铃虫单核衣壳核多角体病毒(Helicoverpa armigera single-nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus,HaSNPV)基因组的HindⅢ-L片段的全序列.该片段全长2 635bp,包括5个有意义的开放阅读框HaSNPV ORF227,晚期表达因子10基因(lef10),vp1054基因,Ac55(AcMNPV ORF55的同源基因),Ac56(AcMNPV ORF56的同源基因).与其它6种杆状病毒的氨基酸序列比较表明,HaSNPV的lef10基因与甜菜夜蛾核型多角体病毒(SeMNPV)的同源性最高,为64%,与冷杉毒蛾核型多角体病毒(OpMNPV)的同源性最低,为43%;HaSNPV的vp1054基因与SeMNPV的同源性最高,为65%,与OpMNPV的同源性最低,为49%.序列比较表明,HaSNPV的LEF10与VP1054蛋白与其它6种杆状病毒具有相同的保守区和亮氨酸拉链(1eucine zipper)     

Entry into midgut epithelial cells is a key step in the selection of genotypes in a nucleopolyhedrovirus

An isolate of the Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus comprises a stable proportion of deletion genotypes (e.g., SfNIC-C), that lack pif1 and pif2 rendering them noninfectious per os, and that survive by complementation with a complete genotype (SfNIC-B) in coinfected cells. To determine whether selection for particular ratios of complete and deletion genotypes occurs mainly during the establishment of the primary infection in insect midgut cells or during subsequent systemic infection, we examined genotype frequencies in insects that fed on OBs comprising different co-occluded mixtures of genotypes. Dramatic changes in genotype frequencies were observed between the OB inoculum and budded virus (BV) samples taken from larvae inoculated with OBs comprising 10% SfNIC-B + 90% SfNIC-C indicating that a marked reduction of SfNIC-C genotype had occurred in the insect midgut due to the immediate elimination of all OBs that originated from cells that had been infected only by SfNIC-C. In contrast, immediate changes were not observed in OBs comprising mixtures of 50% SfNIC-B + 50% SfNIC-C or those comprising 10% SfNIC-B + 90% SfNIC-C as most of the OBs in these mixtures originated from cells that had been infected by both genotypes. Subsequent changes in genotypic frequencies during five days of systemic infection were fairly small in magnitude for all genotypic mixtures. We conclude that the prevalence of defective genotypes in the SfNIC population is likely determined by a balance between host selection against OBs produced in cells infected by SfNIC-C alone and within-host selection for fast-replicating deletion genotypes. The strength of intra-host selection is likely modulated by changes in MOI during the infection period.     

柞蚕核型多角体病毒载体在培养细胞和休眠蛹中的基因表达效果

柞蚕核型多角体病毒（AnpeNPV）作为基因表达载体在柞蚕培养细胞（AnPe细胞）和柞蚕蛹中已经成功地表达出了外来基因,并生产出了大量蛋白质。本文比较了AnpeNPV与苜蓿尺蠖核型多角体病毒(AcMNPV)、家蚕核型多角体病毒(BmNPV)和美国白蛾核型多角体病毒(HycuNPV)基因表达载体在培养细胞和昆虫活体组织内的β-半乳糖苷酶基因表达效果。结果显示,5×105个细胞中β-半乳糖苷酶的最高酶活性分别是AnpeNPV在AnPe细胞为40.9 units/ml （TC-100培养液,FBS10%）和59.9 units/ml（SF-900Ⅱ培养液）,AcMNPV在Sf9细胞为72.4 units/ml（TC-100,FBS10%）和66.4 units/ml（SF-900Ⅱ）、在High5细胞为326 units/ml（EX-CELL 405培养液）,BmNPV在Bm4细胞为15.1 units/ml（TC-100,FBS10%）,HycuNPV在SpIm细胞为68.6 units/ml（SF-900Ⅱ）。活体组织内β-半乳糖苷酶的最高酶活性分别是柞蚕雌蛹为14.3 units/g、雄蛹为11.7 units/g,家蚕幼虫是10.1 units/g。实验证明AnpeNPV/AnPe的外来基因表达水平与AcMNPV/ Sf9和HycuNPV/SpIm相似、比BmNPV/ Bm4高、不及AcMNPV/ High5;AnpeNPV/柞蚕蛹,其雌蛹比BmNPV/家蚕5龄幼虫的外来基因表达效果好、雄蛹与之无明显差异,说明AnpeNPV基因表达载体无论是在培养细胞还是昆虫活体组织中均可与其他NPV基因表达载体相媲美。柞蚕蛹由于可以机械化、大规模地操作,显示对于大量生产蛋白质具有更好的应用前景。     

灰茶尺蛾核型多角体病毒大田防治条件的探索

为了经济有效地在大田应用EgNPV防治灰茶尺蛾 ,在室内进行EgNPV的毒力测定 ,试验表明致死中量LC50 为 1.13× 10 6PIB/mL ,90 %的致死量为 1.83× 10 7PIB/mL ,在 95%置信范围内 ,上限为 1.96× 10 7PIB/mL ,下限为 1.7× 10 7PIB/mL。用 2× 10 7PIB/mL浓度对不同龄期幼虫的感染试验表明 ,1 2龄效果最好 ,达 90 %以上。不同世代感染试验表明 :第 2、3、4、7代防治效果较好 ,高达 90 %以上 ,而第 5、6代效果不好 ,因此病毒增殖与大田防治工作应尽量避免在高温 ,干旱季节进行。另外探讨了适用大田防治的病毒增殖方法。