Characterization of a Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus mutant lacking both fp25K and p35.
Recent studies have shown that dual mutations in fp25K and p35 of Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) result in a typical apoptotic infection on Trichoplusia ni cells, suggesting the involvement of FP25K on NPV-induced apoptosis. To examine the effect of fp25K deletion on Bombyx mori NPV (BmNPV)-induced apoptosis, we generated a BmNPV mutant, fp-p35D, in which both fp25K and p35 genes are deleted from the genome, and compared its phenotype with wild-type (T3), fp25K-deleted (fp-null), and p35-deleted (p35D) BmNPVs. In BmN cells, p35D, but not T3 or fp-null, caused apoptosis with caspase-3 activation. Infection with fp-p35D also resulted in caspase-3 activation, but the level was comparable to that of p35D. Also, we did not observe any apoptotic responses in hemocytes from larvae infected with p35D or fp-p35D. These results indicate that unlike AcMNPV, deletion of fp25K does not affect the pathway of p35D-induced apoptosis of BmN cells and B. mori larvae.
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan.
Tadashi
T
Nakanishi
Toru
T
Shimada
Susumu
S
Katsuma
D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000821:virology; D017353:Gene Deletion; D016679:Genome, Viral; D007814:Larva / Q000821:virology; D009154:Mutation; D017924:Nucleopolyhedroviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D014764:Viral Proteins