Replication of Heliothis zea baculovirus in an insect cell line

The baculovirus, Heliothis zea nuclear polyhedrosis virus (HzSNPV), was grown in the H. zea cell line, IPLB-1075. Light microscopy observations showed that 95% of inoculated cells had CPE by 6 days postinoculation (p.i.). Growth curves of intracellular and extracellular virus showed that maximum titers (TCID50 units) were reached 3-4 days p.i. Studies on HzSNPV morphogenesis revealed that ultrastructural events were typical of baculovirus replication in vitro. EcoRI restriction enzyme analyses of viral DNA produced in larvae and in cell culture were identical and indicated that this virus was HzSNPV.