Genomic sequence analysis of a granulovirus isolated from the Old World bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera

Virus Genes. 2008 Jun;36(3):565-81. doi: 10.1007/s11262-008-0218-0. Epub 2008 Apr 17.

Abstract

The genome of a granulovirus isolated from the Old World bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, was completely sequenced. The size of the Helicoverpa armigera granulovirus (HearGV) genome is 169,794 nt containing 179 open reading frames (ORFs), making it the second largest baculovirus genome analyzed to date. The genomes of HearGV and the Xestia c-nigrum GV (XecnGV) exhibit extensive sequence similarity and co-linearity, with both genomes containing the same nine homologous regions (hrs) with conserved structure and locations and sharing 167 open reading frames (ORFs). Phylogenetic inference and pairwise analysis of Kimura-2-parameter nucleotide distances for the lef-8, lef-9, and granulin genes indicate that HearGV is part of a cluster of granuloviruses typified by XecnGV. The HearGV genome contains all 62 ORFs found in common among other fully sequenced lepidopteran baculovirus genomes, as well as seven ORFs unique to HearGV. In addition, HearGV and XecnGV genomes share 20 ORFs not found among other baculovirus genomes sequenced to date. In addition to possessing ten ORFs with sequence similarity to baculovirus repeated ORFs (bro), the HearGV genome contains members of two other gene families with homologues in ascovirus, nucleopolyhedrovirus, and entomopoxvirus genomes. Alignment of the HearGV and XecnGV genome sequences revealed that HearGV is missing approximately 16.6 kbp of XecnGV-homologous sequence and contains approximately 8.2 kbp of sequence not found in the XecnGV genome.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • DNA, Viral / chemistry
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Genome, Viral*
  • Granulovirus / chemistry
  • Granulovirus / classification
  • Granulovirus / genetics*
  • Granulovirus / isolation & purification*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Moths / virology*
  • Multigene Family
  • Open Reading Frames
  • Phylogeny
  • Sequence Analysis
  • Sequence Homology
  • Viral Proteins / chemistry
  • Viral Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • DNA, Viral
  • Viral Proteins

Associated data

  • GENBANK/EU255577