title: Characterization of a new Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus variant causing epizootic on a previously unreported host, Helicoverpa gelotopoeon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).
abstract: This paper reports the first biological and molecular characterization of a nucleopolyhedrovirus isolated from the soybean and cotton pest Helicoverpa gelotopoeon. Studies were performed following a virus outbreak in a rearing facility and in wild H. gelotopoeon populations in Córdoba, Argentina. Host identity was corroborated by partial sequencing of the COI gene. Scanning electron microscope observations of purified OBs revealed their polyhedral morphology and an average diameter of 0.89±0.14μm. Ultrathin sections of infected larvae examined by transmission electron microscopy showed the intranuclear occurrence of polyhedra and virus particles in fat body cells. Nucleocapsids were singly enveloped. Phylogenetic analysis of lef-8, lef-9, polh, orf5/5b and hr3-orf62 viral sequences identified this new NPV isolate (hereafter HegeSNPV) as a variant of Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV). Furthermore, HegeSNPV was closely related to the so-called "HzSNPV Group" within HearNPV, although having particular characteristics.
authors: Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata - CONICET, La Plata, Argentina.
authors: M L
authors: ML
authors: Ferrelli
authors: Servicio de Microscopía, CICVyA-INTA, Hurlingham, Argentina.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Taibo
authors: Departamento de Protección Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Fichetti
authors: Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola, CICVyA-INTA, Hurlingham, Argentina.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Sciocco-Cap
authors: Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola, CICVyA-INTA, Hurlingham, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: arneodo.joel@inta.gob.ar.
authors: J D
authors: JD
authors: Arneodo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005814:Genes, Viral; D009036:Moths / Q000821:virology*; D017924:Nucleopolyhedroviruses / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Electron microscopy; Helicoverpa gelotopoeon; Nucleopolyhedrovirus; Phylogenetic analysis