Characterization of an early gene coding for a highly basic 8.9K protein from the Orgyia pseudotsugata multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus

• Published in: Journal of general virology Vol. 74; no. 8; pp. 1591 - 1598
• Main Authors: Wu, Xiaoning, Stewart, Sandra, Theilmann, David A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reading Soc General Microbiol 01.08.1993; Society for General Microbiology
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Baculoviridae - genetics; baculovirus; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression - genetics; Gene Expression - physiology; Genes, Viral - genetics; Genetics; Lepidoptera; Lymantriidae; Microbiology; Molecular Sequence Data; nuclear polyhedrosis virus; Orgyia pseudotsugata; Promoter Regions, Genetic - genetics; Promoter Regions, Genetic - physiology; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Viral - genetics; Trans-Activators - physiology; Transcription, Genetic - genetics; Viral Proteins - genetics; Virology; Lymantriidae; Transcription; Transcription promoter; Insecta; Molecular interaction; Baculovirus; Nuclear polyhedrosis virus; Virus; Regulation(control); Messenger RNA; Baculoviridae; Basic protein; Arthropoda; Lepidoptera; Trans acting regulatory factor; Orgyia pseudotsugata; Invertebrata; Immediate early gene
• ISSN: 0022-1317; 1465-2099
• DOI: 10.1099/0022-1317-74-8-1591

Agriculture Canada Research Station, 6660 N.W. Marine Drive, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1X2 A new gene of the baculovirus Orgyia pseudotsugata multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus (OpMNPV) has been identified that encodes a highly basic 8.9K protein. The gene called p8.9 is expressed as a 0.5 kb transcript by 1 h post-infection and initiates at an early gene motif. The promoter of the 0.5 kb transcript has two upstream elements, repeats I and II, which are similar to motifs previously characterized in the OpMNPV IE-2 gene and the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus IE-N and PE38 genes. A second p8.9 transcript expressed from 8 to 72 h post-infection was shown to initiate 634 bp upstream from the early gene motif in a region that has no similarity to any previously described baculovirus promoter or initiation site. Transient assays utilizing a reporter gene have shown that the p8.9 early promoter is active in a Lymantria dispar (LD652Y) and Spodoptera frugipeda (Sf9) cell lines in the absence of other viral factors. In addition, it was also demonstrated that the p8.9 promoter is trans-activated by the OpMNPV IE-2 and p34 genes, but not by IE-1. Present address: Department of Microbiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada V6T 1Z3. Received 3 March 1993; accepted 6 April 1993.