This book is based on a project to completely annotate what is known about the function of the ~150 genes encoded by the genome of the most commonly investigated baculovirus, AcMNPV. Once the annotation was completed (summarized in Chapter 11), the material was organized into a series of chapters integrating the role of the gene products in the biology of major processes central to the replication and pathology of baculoviruses. Chapters on taxonomy, the application of baculoviruses as insecticides, and the molecular basis for the remarkable ability of these viruses to express genes at high levels are also included. The chapters are accompanied by 30 figures, 13 tables and a glossary of common terms used in baculovirology.

Contents

• Preface
  Created: November 1, 2008.
• 1. Introduction to the baculoviruses and their taxonomy
  Created: November 1, 2008.
  • The discovery of baculoviruses
  • The definition is not in the name: Naming baculoviruses
  • What defines a baculovirus?
  • Baculovirus Diversity
  • Related viruses: the nudiviruses
  • References
• 2. Structural proteins of baculovirus occlusion bodies and virions
  Created: November 1, 2008.
  • Occlusion body evolution
  • Occlusion body proteins
  • Polyhedron associated proteins
  • Baculovirus envelope proteins
  • Nucleocapsid Structure
  • BV and ODV Nucleocapsid associated proteins encoded by all baculoviruses
  • Proteins associated with ODV that are also likely to be components of BV
  • Other virion associated proteins: ODV associated proteins identified by proteomic analysis
  • References
• 3. The baculovirus replication cycle: Effects on cells and insects
  Created: November 1, 2008.
  • The insect midgut
  • Two types of virions
  • From occlusion bodies to susceptible midgut cells
  • Entry into nuclei
  • Viruses that cause systemic infections (for virus infections restricted to the midgut, see below)
  • Viral proteins involved in the infection cycle
  • Budded versus cell-associated virus, is there a transition?
  • Occlusion, the final stage in virus infection
  • Virus dispersal
  • The cytopathology of GVs
  • Viruses that are confined to the midgut; hymenopteran and dipteran NPVs
  • Persistence/latent baculovirus infections
  • References
• 4. Early events in infection: Virus transcription
  Created: November 1, 2008.
  • Transcriptional activators, enhancers and the host RNA polymerase
  • Baculovirus infection: selective effects on host cell gene expression
  • The baculovirus transcription cascade: the evolution of a novel strategy
  • Transcriptional enhancers
  • Baculovirus enhancers; hrs (homologous regions)
  • A major transcriptional activator of early genes, immediate early gene 1 (IE1, Ac147)
  • Binding of IE1 to hr sequences
  • RNA polymerase II signals regulating early virus gene transcription
  • Genome-wide analysis of baculovirus promoters
  • How are baculovirus early genes activated?
  • Caveats and qualifications
  • References
• 5. DNA replication and genome processing
  Created: November 1, 2008.
  • Identification of origins of viral DNA replication
  • Genes required for DNA synthesis
  • Additional genes that influence DNA replication
  • Baculovirus DNA replication genes: What's missing?
  • Location of baculovirus DNA replication; development of the virogenic stroma
  • Additional baculovirus genes: hints of DNA repair
  • Genes involved in nucleotide biosynthesis
  • How are baculovirus genomes replicated?
  • Implications of recombination-dependent replication: Multiple replication origins, a covalently closed circular genome, and multiple nucleocapsids per envelope
  • Processing and packaging of genome-size DNA
  • More unanswered questions
  • References
• 6. Baculovirus late transcription
  Created: November 1, 2008.
  • Activation of baculovirus late genes
  • Baculovirus late promoter elements
  • Insect virus RNA polymerases and occlusion body protein hyperexpression
  • The baculovirus RNA polymerase
  • The categories of RNA polymerases
  • The relationship of baculovirus RNA polymerase to other RNA polymerases
  • In vitro transcription assays
  • Termination of late mRNAs
  • Very late gene expression
  • Other genes involved in late transcription
  • References
• 7. Baculovirus infection: The cell cycle and apoptosis
  Created: November 1, 2008.
  • Baculovirus infection and the cell cycle
  • Viral synthetic pathways: Induction of a 'pseudo' or ‘viral’ S phase environment
  • Apoptosis and baculovirus infections
  • References
• 8. Host resistance and susceptibility
  Created: November 1, 2008.
  • The insect immune system: hemocytes, melanization and encapsulation
  • Other host pathways that limit virus infection
  • Host resistance to baculovirus infection in the midgut
  • Other factors influencing Baculovirus host range
  • Investigations on BmNPV and AcMNPV host range in B. mori and S. frugiperda cells
  • References
• 9. Baculoviruses as insecticides: Three examples
  Created: November 1, 2008.
  • An NPV of the velvet bean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis: Application in Brazil.
  • A granulovirus of the codling moth, Cydia pomonella: Application in North America and Europe.
  • An NPV of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera: Application in China
  • References
• 10. The evolution of high levels of baculovirus gene expression
  Created: November 1, 2008.
  • Initiating infection: environmental stability and the insect midgut
  • Evolution of a biphasic replication cycle that allowed exploitation of the biosynthetic capacity of insect systems
  • Optimizing the cellular environment: The viral RNA polymerase and the shut down of most viral and host genes late in infection
  • Very late gene (p10 and polyhedrin) activation and transcription
  • A role for gene copy number and nonencapsidated viral DNA
  • Baculovirus gene expression and biotechnology
  • Summary and conclusions
  • References
• 11. The AcMNPV genome: Gene content, conservation, and function
  Created: November 1, 2008.
  • Adjustments to the AcMNPV genome sequence: There are 'about' 150 orfs.
  • Annotation of the AcMNPVgenome
  • References
• 12. Selected baculovirus genes not present in the AcMNPV genome: Conservation and function
  Created: November 1, 2008.
  • References
• Glossary
  Created: November 1, 2008.
• Sequenced Baculovirus Genomes¹
  Created: November 1, 2008.
• Common names of insect hosts of baculoviruses that have had their genomes sequenced
  Created: November 1, 2008.