Demonstration of the protective effects of fluorescent proteins in baculoviruses exposed to ultraviolet light inactivation.
Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) recombinants, namely AcRFP produced by fusion of the red fluorescent protein (RFP) gene with the polyhedrin gene, and a recombinant (pAcUW21-23GFP) carrying the green fluorescent protein (GFP) in its viral envelope, were evaluated for their resistance to inactivation by ultraviolet light. AcRFP recombinants produced incomplete polyhedra with low infectivity for Trichoplusia ni larvae, whereas AcuW21-23GFP produced normal polyhedra with high infectivity. Electron microscopy of AcRFP CL14 showed the incorporation of very few viral particles into polyhedrin matrix protein material. The LC50 for AcuW21-23GFP was 0.10 occlusion bodies/mm2, whereas the LC50 values for several AcRFP recombinants ranged from 20 to 329 occlusion bodies/mm2. When both the RFP and GFP recombinants were exposed to ultraviolet light (UV-B 280-320 nm), the results support the conclusion that these fluorescent proteins afford some protection against its damaging effects.
McIntosh
A H
AH
USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory, Columbia, Missouri 65203, USA. mcintosha@missouri.edu
Grasela
J J
JJ
Lua
L
L
Braunagel
S C
SC
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D007313:Insecta / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology; D007814:Larva / Q000821:virology; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D017924:Nucleopolyhedroviruses / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein
D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein