Sequence analysis of the complete genome of Trichoplusia ni single nucleopolyhedrovirus and the identification of a baculoviral photolyase gene

The genome of the Trichoplusia ni single nucleopolyhedrovirus (TnSNPV), a group II NPV which infects the cabbage looper (T. ni), has been completely sequenced and analyzed. The TnSNPV DNA genome consists of 134,394 bp and has an overall G + C content of 39%. Gene analysis predicted 144 open reading frames (ORFs) of 150 nucleotides or greater that showed minimal overlap. Comparisons with previously sequenced baculoviruses indicate that 119 TnSNPV ORFs were homologues of previously reported viral gene sequences. Ninety-four TnSNPV ORFs returned an Autographa californica multiple NPV (AcMNPV) homologue while 25 ORFs returned poor or no sequence matches with the current databases. A putative photolyase gene was also identified that had highest amino acid identity to the photolyase genes of Chrysodeixis chalcites NPV (ChchNPV) (47%) and Danio rerio (zebrafish) (40%). In addition unlike all other baculoviruses no obvious homologous repeat (hr) sequences were identified. Comparison of the TnSNPV and AcMNPV genomes provides a unique opportunity to examine two baculoviruses that are highly virulent for a common insect host (T. ni) yet belong to diverse baculovirus taxonomic groups and possess distinct biological features. In vitro fusion assays demonstrated that the TnSNPV F protein induces membrane fusion and syncytia formation and were compared to syncytia formed by AcMNPV GP64.