Abstract
Isolates of the baculovirus species
Lymantria dispar multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus have been formulated and applied to suppress outbreaks of the gypsy moth,
L. dispar. To evaluate the genetic diversity in this species at the genomic level, the genomes of three isolates from Massachusetts, USA (LdMNPV-Aba624), Spain (LdMNPV-3054), and Japan (LdMNPV-3041) were sequenced and compared with four previously determined LdMNPV genome sequences. The LdMNPV genome sequences were collinear and contained the same
homologous repeats (hrs) and clusters of
baculovirus repeat orf (bro) gene family members in the same relative positions in their genomes, although sequence identities in these regions were low. Of 146 non-
bro ORFs annotated in the genome of the representative isolate LdMNPV 5-6, 135 ORFs were found in every other LdMNPV genome, including the 37 core genes of
Baculoviridae and other genes conserved in genus
Alphabaculovirus. Phylogenetic inference with an alignment of the core gene nucleotide sequences grouped isolates 3041 (Japan) and 2161 (Korea) separately from a cluster containing isolates from Europe, North America, and Russia. To examine phenotypic diversity, bioassays were carried out with a selection of isolates against neonate larvae from three European gypsy moth (
Lymantria dispar dispar) and three Asian gypsy moth (
Lymantria dispar asiatica and
Lymantria dispar japonica) colonies. LdMNPV isolates 2161 (Korea), 3029 (Russia), and 3041 (Japan) exhibited a greater degree of pathogenicity against all
L. dispar strains than LdMNPV from a sample of Gypchek. This study provides additional information on the genetic diversity of LdMNPV isolates and their activity against the Asian gypsy moth, a potential invasive pest of North American trees and forests.
Keywords
Asian gypsy moth,
Baculovirus,
LdMNPV,
Lymantria dispar,
gypsy moth,
nucleopolyhedrovirus
Citation
Fajvan, M.A., and R.S. Morin. 2016. Monitoring the effects of an invasive insect (Adelges tsugae) on forest decline and landscape-level hydrologic processes. IN: Proceedings of the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, CO September 24-28, 2016. Paper No.310-10. (Abstract) https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2016AM/webprogram/Paper283319.html
