Molecular and phylogenetic characterization of Spodoptera litura granulovirus

Baculovirus, Spodoptera litura granulovirus (SlGV) was isolated from the infected S. litura larvae, and was characterized. The granule of SlGV was ovoidal shape with an approximate size of 240 approximately 340 nmx 140 approximately 180 nm. Each granule contained one single rod-shape virion with a mean size of 180 approximately 200 nmx20 approximately 40 nm. Restriction endonuclease fragment analysis estimated that the total genome size of SlGV is about 115 kb. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the granulin gene showed that the gene encodes 249 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 29 kDa. When the phylogenic relationship was analyzed using the nucleotide sequence of the granulin gene, SlGV was most closely related to Trichoplusia ni granulovirus (TnGV) and Xestia c-nigrum granulovirus (XcGV) which belong to Type I granulovirus.