• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2000

We cloned and characterized a very late expression factor 1 gene, vlf-1, which regulates the level of very late gene transcripts, from Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) K1 strain. The 1,140 bp vlf-1 has an open reading frame of 379 amino acid and a MW of 44 kDa. The vlf-1 nucleotide sequence of BmNPV-Kl showed high homology with Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus and BmNPV T3 strain so far known, and its deduced amino acid residues were identical to those of BmNPV T3. The location of vlf-1 in the BmNPV-Kl genome was confirmed by Southern blot analysis and its expression patterns at the transcriptional level were confirmed by Northern hybridization analysis.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.359-366
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• 1997

The usefulness of host range expanded recombinant viruses for economical viral insecticide and expression vector system has been studied. Host range expanded recombinant viruses, RecS-B6 and RecB-8, constructed by cotransfection of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) and Autographa californica NPV (AcNPV), and a host range expanded AcNPV recombinant, Ac-BH, constructed by substitution of the 0.6Kb fragment of the BmNPV helicase gene were compared. The restriction enzyme digestion patterns showed that RecS-B6 and RecB-8 had expanded host ranges by genomic recombination and were more similar to genome of AcNPV than that of BmNPV. SDS-PAGE and PCR analysis showed that the polyhedrin gene of RecS-B6 and RecB-8 was derived from BmNPV genomic DNA. The morphology of polyhedra of recombinant viruses showed a slight difference between the two host cells, Sf and BmN cells, indicating that the morphology of polyhedra was influenced by host cells. The bioassay data for insect larvae showed that Ac-BH, compared to wild type viruses, had superior pathogenicity against Bombyx mori larvae but inferior pathogenicity against Spodoptera exigua larvae. Although the pathogenicity was lower than that of wild type viruses in both larvae, RecS-B6 showed the pathogenicity in both larvae. These results suggested that Ac-BH was a less useful economical insecticide than random genomic recombinant virus RecS-B6.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.185-192
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• 2014

Recombinant proteins can be generated quickly and easily in large amounts and at low-cost in silkworm larvae by using Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV). We searched for high-permissive silkworm strains that have high production levels of heterologous proteins and are thus suitable for use as biofactories. In this study, we performed the analysis using a BmNPV vector expressing luciferase as a marker, and we confirmed protein expression by evaluating luciferase activity, determined by western blotting and luciferase ELISA, and confirmed transcription expression by semi- and quantitative real time PCR. For the selection of host silkworm strains, we first chose 52 domestic BmNPV sensitive strains and then identified 10 high-permissive and 5 low-permissive strains. In addition, to determine which hybrid of the high-permissive strains would show heterosis, nine strains derived through three-way crossing were tested for luciferase activity by western blotting, and luciferase ELISA. We found a correlation between luciferase activity and luciferase protein expression, but not transcription. There was no noticeable difference in protein expression levels between Jam313 as the high-permissive control strain and the three-way hybrid strains; however, the three-way cross strains showed lower luciferase activity compared with Jam313. In this study, luciferase protein production in the larvae of 52 domestic silkworm strains was elucidated using BmNPV.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 1997

To use recombinant viruses with wider host range as viral insecticides, we investigated the characteristics and pathogenicity of host range expanded recombinant viruses in insect cells. We compared host range expanded recombinant viruses, RecS-B6 and RecB-8, constructed by cotransfection of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) and Bombyx mori NPV (BmNPV), to host range expanded AcNPV, Ac-BH, by substitution of the 0.6 Kb fragment of the BmNPV helicase gene. Restriction endonuclease profiles of RecS-B6 and RecB-8 DNAs were different from those of parent viruses. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the 0.6 Kb region in the putative helicase gene of RecS-B6 and RecB-8 showed that their structures were identical to the counterpart region of BmNPV. Comparison of viral replication of these recombinant viruses in Sf-21 and BmN-4 cells showed that Ac-BH, compared to wild type viruses, replicated well in BmN-4 cells but poorly in Sf-21 cells. In contrast, RecS-B6 and RecB-8 replicated relatively well in both cells compared to parent viruses. These results may imply that random genomic recombinant viruses, RecS-B6 and RecB-8, possess better potential as viral pesticides than helicase-mediated recombinant virus, Ac-BH.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.30-35
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• 1997

A rapid and sensitive detection of BmNPV contamination in silkworm rearing room was carried by Plymerase chain reaction(PCR). Silkworm nuclear polyhedra were dissolved for the extraction of viral DNA within 30 minutes followed by the treatment of alkaline solution. The combination of primers of NP3 and NP2 was superior in PCR to the other 7 primers applied. Each primer was designed with 20 base in size and Newly designed NP3 of sense and the already reported NP2 for antisense were better in reaction than other primers. PCR products appeared 500bp in size. And annealing was confirmed proper at 55$^{\circ}C$ condition. Amplifiable template DNA amount was confirmed at least 100 ng to 0.1 ng and regarded as applicative for the assay of silkworm rearing environmental condition of sericultural farm. In case of the detection of BmNPV from the dust, sensitivity by PCR was as high as 1,000,000 times than that of microscopic observation.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.72-76
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• 1996

To investigate the expression efficiency of new transfer vector of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV), Escherichia coli lacZ gene was inserted into new transfer vector pBmKSK1, under the control of polyhedrin promoter and expressed in BmN-4 cells and larvae of silkworm, Bombyx mori. The recombinant virus containing lacZ gene was isolated from BmN-4 cells coinfected with transfer vectro pBmKSK1-LacZ and wild type BmNPV genome, and analysed by Southern blotting. The expression of ${\beta}$-galactosidase was characterized by SDS-PAGE, Western blotting and ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity assay. The results showed that the level of expression in silkworm larvae was higher than that of BmN-4 cells.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.211-218
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• 1988

Polyhedral proteins and the endogenous alkaline protease associated with larval-derived polyhedra of nuclear viruses isolated from Spodoptera litura, Bombyx mori, and Hyphantria cunea were investigated. Polyhedral proteins prepared under alkaline protease heat-inactivated condition were separated as one band with 31Kd in S. litura a H. cunea NpV and 30Kd in B. mori NPV by the SDS-polyacrylamide gel electroptoresis. Whereas polyhedral proteins without heat-inactivation were degraded into smaller polypeptides with a certain pattern in alkaline solution. The results of double-immunodiffusion and western blot analysis with antisera against polyhedral proteins indicated that those three polyhedral proteins had common antigenic determinants and the degradation of polyhedral proteins by alkaline protease could be confirmed.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.53-62
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• 2012

Silkworm larvae often suffer from viral infections causing heavy losses to the economy of silk industry. Insects exhibit both humoral and cellular immune responses that are effective against various pathohens like bacteria, fungi, protozoa, etc., but no insect immune responses is effective against viral infection. To obtain genes related to insect antiviral immunity from Bombyx mori, the cDNA library was constructed from B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV)-infected B. mori. From the cDNA library, we selected 411 differentially expressed clones, and the 5' ends of the inserts were sequenced to generate ESTs. In this work, 135 unigenes were generated after the assembly of 411 differentially expressed clones ESTs. Of these 135 unigenes, we selected 109 antiviral response-related candidates except 26 clones that high similarity with genes derived from BmNPV. Among 109 unigenes, a total of 80% had significant matches to genes from other organisms in the database, wheres 20% of the unigenes had not matched in the database. Functional groups of these sequences with matches in database were constructed according to their putative biological function. Three largest categories were control of cellular oraganization (52%), metabolism (20%), and protein fate (10%). The genetic information reported in this study will provide more information about antiviral-related genes in silkworms.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.187-190
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• 2001

Inheritance pattern of resistance to Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) was studied in an Indian silkworm stock TX by single back-cross test method. The resistant parent ［TX］, susceptible parent ［HM］, their Fl, F2, and Fl progeny back-crossed to TX [BC(R)] and HM [BC(S)] were inoculated per os with a fixed concentration of BmNPV($0.5{\times}10^{th} PIB/ml$) on the first day of second stadium. The cumulative mortality was recorded until day $10^{\times}$ post-inoculation. The results show that the resistance to BmNPV in TX fellow mono Mendelian inheritance pattern. The resistance dominated over the susceptibility at Fl. At F2, the resistant and susceptible offspring segregated in 3:1 ratio whereas at BC(S), the resistant and susceptible offspring segregated in 1:1 ratio. The response of BC(R) was more or less like the resistant parent TX which confirms the involvement of a major dominant gene conferring resistance to BmNPV in TX. The possible mechanism of inheritance of resistance in TX is discussed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.8-12
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• 2009

A study has been made to know the effect of a phytoecdysteroid 'Sampoorna' on uniform maturation of silkworms during spinning and its effect on diseased silkworms infected by major silkworm disease viruses, Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) and Bombyx mori infectious flacherie virus (BmIFV). In the present investigation, the effect of the phytoecdysteroid "Sampoorna" on Grasserie disease caused by BmNPV have shown an average cocoon melting of 11.91% with a disease incidence of 5.83%. The values of 't' test for different treatments of BmNPV indicated low survival rate and cocoon traits were drastically reduced. Another major disease Flacherie caused by BmIFV has shown considerable levels of larval disease incidence (22-32%) and cocoon melting (3-7.67%) with an average melting of 12.95% and 20.24% disease incidence. There is a drastic reduction in survival rate, cocoon yield and other economic traits. The control batches were indicated negligible values for disease incidence and cocoon melting with Sapoorna application and without the inoculation of the two disease-causing viruses. The application of Sampoorna on already infected batches with major pathogens triggered high mortality and disease incidence and melting percentage was also significantly increased with reduced economic traits. Hence, it is suggested that application of Sampoorna in infected batches should be done only in the extreme conditions of rearing. Application of Sampoorna on healthy batches led to uniform maturation and improvement in productivity with the added advantage of better quality cocoons and labour saving.