Identification, Characterization and Phylogenic Analysis of Conserved Genes within the odvp-6e/odv-e56 Gene Region of Choristoneura fumiferana Granulovirus

Abstract

The genes that are located within the odvp-6e/odv-e56 region of the Choristoneura fumiferana granulovirus (ChfuGV) were identified by sequencing the 11 kb BamHI restriction fragment on the ChfuGV genome. The global GC content that was calculated from the data obtained from this genomic region was 34.96%. The open-reading frames (ORFs), located within the odvp-6e/odv-e56 region, are presented and compared to the equivalent ORFs that are located at the same region in other GVs. This region is composed of 14 ORFs, including three ORFs that are unique to ChfuGV with no obvious homologues in other baculoviruses as well as eleven ORFs with homologues to granuloviral ORFs, such as granulin, CfORF2, pk-1, ie-1, odv-e18, p49, and odvp-6e/odv-e56. In this study, the conceptual products of seven major conserved ORFs (granulin, CfORF2, IE-1, ODV-E18, p49 and ODVP-6E/ ODV-E56) were used in order to construct phylogenetic trees. Our results show that granuloviruses can be grouped in 2 distinct groups as follows: Group I; Choristoneura fumiferana granulovirus (ChfuGV), Cydia pomonella granulovirus (CpGV), Phthorimaea operculella granulovirus (PhopGV), and Adoxophyes orana granulovirus (AoGV). Group II; Xestia c-nigrum granulovirus (XcGV), Plutella xylostella granulovirus (PxGV), and Trichoplusia ni granulovirus (TnGV). The ChfuGV conserved proteins are most closely related to those of CpGV, PhopGV, and AoGV. Comparative studies, performed on gene arrangements within this region of genomes, demonstrated that three GVs from group I maintain similar gene arrangements.

Identification, transcriptional and phylogenetic analysis of the DNA polymerase gene of Pieris rapae granulovirus

“…In GVs, PiraGV (Pierididae) was most closely related with tortricid-infecting GVs such as CpGV, CrleGV, AdorGV as well as gelechiid-infecting PhopGV, these constituted a clade (with a high bootstrapping support NJ: 100%) that is clearly different from the noctuidinfecting GVs. This seemed to agree with others' research that GV genera could be further divided into two groups [30][31][32][33][34]. Similar phylogenetic analysis results were obtained with trees generated by most parsimony (MP) and minimum evolution (ME) programs (data not shown).…”

Identification, Characterization and Phylogenic Analysis of Conserved Genes within the p74 Gene Region of Choristoneura fumiferana Granulovirus Genome

“…However, the soundness of this approach was initially questioned by Herniou et al (2001). In our latest paper (Rashidan et al, 2004), it was demonstrated that the GVs could be grouped in 2 distinct groups: Group I (ChfuGV, CpGV, PhopGV and AoGV) and Group II (XcGV, PxGV, LoGV and TnGV). These results in the current study confirm the previously reported results in that the ClGV complete genome sequencing assisted in adding another member to the group I, GVs.…”

“…Therefore, as part of an ongoing investigation into the nature of the ChfuGV, this study concentrated on the molecular characterization of this virus. A previous communication reported the identification and characterization of the ORFs located within the odvp-6e/odve56 gene region of the ChfuGV (Rashidan et al, 2004). This paper reports the identification and characterization of the ORFs located within the p74 gene region of the ChfuGV.…”

Review of Vaccinia Virus and Baculovirus Viability Versus Virucides

“…These characteristics make them particularly attractive as pest control agents (Inceoglu et al, 2001). The current taxonomy divides the family into two distinct genera based upon structural properties: Granulovirus (GV) and Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (NPV) (Rashidan et al, 2004). Baculoviruses are identified as potential candidates for viral simulant research because they physically resemble pox viruses with similar virion particle sizes (50-100 nm x 400 nm) and double-stranded DNA genomes.…”

“…Baculoviruses (Family: Baculoviridae) are double stranded DNA viruses characterized by a circular DNA genome and the presence of a large occlusion body or protein matrix (Rashidan et al, 2004). Baculoviruses are primarily pathogenic to arthropods and are distributed worldwide.…”