The isolation and genetic characterisation of a South African strain of Phthorimaea operculella granulovirus, PhopGV-SA

• Isolation of a granulovirus from Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller).
• PCR amplification and sequencing of the grn, lef-8, egt genes.
• Phylogenetic comparison of the egt gene sequence using GenBank data.
• Analysis of the egt gene structure.

The Phthorimaea operculella granulovirus (PhopGV) is considered a promising biopesticide that can be incorporated into integrated pest management programmes for sustainable control of the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), a major pest of solanaceous crops in sub-tropical and tropical regions worldwide. Several PhopGV isolates recovered from geographically different insect populations have been genetically characterised, and the full genome of the Tunisian PhopGV-1346 isolate has been sequenced, providing a reference strain for comparison of novel isolates. Here we report the identification and genetic characterisation of a South African PhopGV isolate recovered from a P. operculella colony held under laboratory conditions. Transmission electron microscopy examination of purified occlusion bodies together with analysis of granulin and late expression factor-8 (lef-8) gene sequences confirmed the identity of the virus as PhopGV. The sequenced ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase (egt) gene was 1353 nt in length, placing PhopGV-SA in egt group II. Finally, a phylogenetic analysis using a range of egt sequences grouped PhopGV-SA together with the Kenyan, Ecuadorian, Indonesian and Colombian isolates. The results are discussed with reference to the possible origin of PhopGV-SA, and provide a platform for future studies involving virulence evaluation against geographically different P. operculella populations with a view to biopesticide development.