title: Characterisation of a nucleopolyhedrovirus and Spiroplasma sp. bacterium associated with outbreaking populations of the Antler moth Cerapteryx graminis.
abstract: A broad survey was undertaken to characterise microbes associated with larval outbreaks of the Antler moth Cerapteryx graminis in Cumbria, United Kingdom. A nucleopolyhedrovirus present in all sampled populations at ≤5% prevalence, was characterised via restriction fragment length polymorphism and partial sequencing the Polyhedrin, Lef-8 and Lef-9 genes; indicating a previously uncharacterised species most closely related to Agrotis ipsilon NPV. A survey of the host-associated bacterial community detected a species phylogenetically related to Spiroplasma sp., a male-killing phenotype previously isolated from Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, present at <63% prevalence in larvae. The implications of these associated microbes for host population dynamics are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK. r.graham@lancaster.ac.uk
authors.forename: Robert I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hartley
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009036:Moths / Q000469:parasitology*; D017924:Nucleopolyhedroviruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D015995:Prevalence; D013149:Spiroplasma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins