title: Sequence, function, and phylogenetic analysis of an ascovirus DNA polymerase gene.
abstract: We have sequenced a 5.5-kb region of the DNA genome of the Spodoptera Ascovirus (SAV) containing a DNA polymerase gene. The gene codes for a 1104-amino-acid polypeptide with seven motifs characteristic of DNA polymerases and three additional motifs associated with polymerases possessing 3' to 5' exonuclease activity. The SAV DNA polymerase gene was able to functionally substitute for a baculovirus DNA polymerase gene in a transient assay that relies on origin-specific reporter plasmid DNA replication. Analysis of the predicted DNA polymerase sequence using neighbor-joining and protein parsimony algorithms indicated that this gene was only distantly related to other known viral and cellular DNA polymerases. The SAV DNA polymerase gene is the first ascovirus gene to be identified and sequenced. The molecular phylogenetic analyses of this gene supports the placement of insect ascoviruses in a separate virus family.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens 30602-2603, USA.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Pellock
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Meagher
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Weise
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004261:DNA Replication; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D005814:Genes, Viral; D007304:Insect Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017924:Nucleopolyhedroviruses / Q000201:enzymology; D010802:Phylogeny; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D018411:Spodoptera / Q000821:virology; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase