Isolation, replication and polyhedrin gene sequence of an Israeli Helicoverpa armigera single nucleopolyhedrovirus

A local strain of Helicoverpa armigera baculovirus was isolated from infected H. armigera larvae. Infectivity to Helicoverpa cells, restriction enzyme analysis and electron microscopy allowed its identification as a single embedded nucleopolyhedrovirus, designated HaSNPV-IS. Analysis of DNA replication, protein synthesis and polyhedrin expression in HaSNPV-infected cells located the late and very late phases of the viral cycle at 24 and 48 h after infection, respectively. The viral polyhedrin gene was isolated and characterized. It encoded for a polypeptide of 246 amino acid residues. A 32 kDa polypeptide was identified by immunoblot analysis using antipolyhedrin antiserum. The HaSNPV-IS polyhedrin DNA sequence revealed 99.4% of homology to the HzSNPV polyhedrin. The availability of this efficient replication system and the above knowledge paves the way to future genetic engineering of the HaSNPV.