title: Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus ORF101 encodes a budded virus envelope associated protein.
abstract: Orf101 (Bm101) of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a highly conserved gene in lepidopteran nucleopolyhedroviruses, but its function remains unknown. In this study, Bm101 was characterized. Transcripts of Bm101 were detected from 24 through 96 h post infection (h p.i.) by RT-PCR. The corresponding protein was also detected from 24 to 96 h p.i. in BmNPV-infected BmN cells by Western blot analysis using a polyclonal antibody against Bm101. Western blot assay of occlusion-derived virus and budded virus (BV) preparations revealed that Bm101 encodes a 28-kDa structural protein that is associated with BV and is located in the envelope fraction of budded virions. In addition, confocal analysis showed that the protein was localized in the cytosol and cytoplasmic membrane in virus-infected cells. In conclusion, the available data suggest that Bm101 is a functional ORF of BmNPV and encodes a protein expressed in the late stage of the infection cycle that is associated with the BV envelope.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, 301# Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013, China, chq2008@ujs.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Huiqing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guoping
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Weijun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: Keping
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yajing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D012831:Bombyx / Q000821:virology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D008970:Molecular Weight; D017924:Nucleopolyhedroviruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D011506:Proteins; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019065:Virus Assembly
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins