title: The use of polymerase chain reaction and shortwave UV irradiation to detect baculovirus DNA on the surface of gypsy moth eggs.
abstract: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology was employed to detect baculovirus DNA sequences from viral occlusion bodies (OB) contaminating the surface of gypsy moth eggs. The level of sensitivity of the technique was as low as 5 viral genome copies and DNA from 1 OB equivalent. Thirty minutes of shortwave UV irradiation of eggs contaminated with 8.4 x 10(4) OBs prevented amplification of viral DNA sequences from OBs on the egg surface. These methods are important for providing a better understanding of gypsy moth virus epizootiology as well as for the examination of insect eggs for the persistence of baculovirus gene sequences inside the egg or on the egg surface. In addition, these methods can be easily modified for monitoring the persistence of genetically engineered baculoviruses in insect populations as well as the fate of genes that these viruses might carry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst 01003.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Burand
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Horton
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Retnasami
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Elkinton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000528:radiation effects; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009036:Moths / Q000382:microbiology; D010063:Ovum; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral