title: Characterization of Mamestra configurata nucleopolyhedrovirus enhancin and its functional analysis via expression in an Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus recombinant.
abstract: Enhancin genes have been identified in a number of baculoviruses and enhancin proteins are characterized by their ability to enhance the oral infectivity of heterologous baculoviruses in various lepidopteran insects. Here, we describe the putative enhancin gene from Mamestra configurata nucleopolyhedrovirus (MacoNPV), only the second NPV in which an enhancin-like ORF has been identified. The putative enhancin gene from MacoNPV has a typical baculovirus late promoter (ATAAG) 15 bp upstream from the ATG codon. The enhancin ORF encodes an 847 amino acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 98 kDa and contains a conserved zinc-binding domain (HEIAH) common to metalloproteases. The MacoNPV enhancin shows approximately 20 % amino acid identity with other baculovirus enhancins. An Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) recombinant, AcMNPV-enMP2, expressing the MacoNPV enhancin gene under control of its native promoter was developed and characterized. Northern blot analysis showed expression of enhancin from 24 through 72 h post-infection. In 2nd-instar Trichoplusia ni larvae, the LD50 of the AcMNPV-enMP2 recombinant was 2.8 polyhedral inclusion bodies (PIB) per larva, 4.4 times lower than that of AcMNPV E2 wild-type virus (12.4 PIB per larva). At biologically equivalent doses, i.e. LD90, the survival time 50 % (ST50) of AcMNPV-enMP2 recombinant and AcMNPV E2 wild-type viruses were not significantly different.
authors.affiliation: Saskatoon Research Centre, AAFC-Saskatoon, 107 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 0X2.
authors.forename: Qianjun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, AAFC, Summerland, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Lulin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Saskatoon Research Centre, AAFC-Saskatoon, 107 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 0X2.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Southern Crop Protection and Food Research Centre, AAFC, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Cam
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donly
authors.affiliation: Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, AAFC, Summerland, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Theilmann
authors.affiliation: Saskatoon Research Centre, AAFC-Saskatoon, 107 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 0X2.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erlandson
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007814:Larva / Q000821:virology; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000821:virology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017924:Nucleopolyhedroviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D018411:Spodoptera / Q000821:virology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C071647:viral enhancing factor, Trichoplusia ni granulosa virus