This is the 4th edition of a book that was initiated with the annotation of the function of all the genes in the most commonly studied baculovirus, AcMNPV. As with the previous editions, this information was up-dated and then integrated into chapters covering the major processes central to the replication and pathology of baculoviruses. Topics including taxonomy, genome replication, early and late gene transcription, the application of baculoviruses as insecticides, the molecular basis for the remarkable ability of these viruses to express genes at high levels, and the interrelationships of baculovirus and transposable elements. The 4th edition includes 48 figures and 13 tables, all available for download.

Contents

• Preface
• 1. Introduction to the baculoviruses, their taxonomy, and evolution
  • The discovery of baculoviruses
  • The definition is not in the name: Naming baculoviruses
  • What defines a baculovirus?
  • Baculovirus Diversity
  • Related viruses: the Nudiviridae
  • Hytrosaviruses
  • A polydnavirus connection
  • A Whispovirus
  • Related References
• 2. Structural proteins of baculovirus occlusion bodies and virions
  • Occlusion body evolution
  • Occlusion body proteins
  • Polyhedron-associated proteins
  • Baculovirus virions: The envelope proteins
  • Nucleocapsid Structure
  • Essential BV and ODV Nucleocapsid associated proteins encoded by all baculoviruses
  • Host proteins and protein modification
  • References
• 3. The baculovirus replication cycle: Effects on cells and insects
  • Two types of virions
  • The insect midgut
  • From occlusion bodies to susceptible midgut cells: transiting the peritrophic matrix (PM)
  • Baculovirus replication: evidence from cultured cells
  • Entry into nuclei
  • Exiting nuclei and the cell to form BV
  • Budded virus versus cell-associated virus production
  • The transition from BV to ODV production
  • Occlusion, the final stage in virus infection
  • Virus dispersal: ‘tree-top disease’ and liquefaction ‘melting’
  • The cytopathology of GVs
  • Viruses that are confined to the midgut: hymenopteran and dipteran NPVs
  • Covert baculovirus infections
  • References
• 4. Early events in infection: Virus transcription
  • 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)
  • Transactivation of early genes.
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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 and polyadenylation of early and late mRNAs
  • Very late gene expression
  • Other genes involved in late transcription
  • References
• 7. Baculovirus infection: The cell cycle and apoptosis
  • Baculovirus infection and the cell cycle
  • Viral synthetic pathways: Induction of a 'pseudo' or ‘viral’ S phase environment
  • Apoptosis and baculovirus infections
  • AcMNPV orf92 (p33) — a link between apoptosis and the cell cycle?
  • References
• 8. Host resistance, susceptibility, and the effect of viral infection on host molecular biology
  • The insect immune system: hemocytes, melanization and encapsulation
  • RNA interference
  • Additional mechanisms of virus and host resistance
  • 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
  • The reaction of host cells to baculovirus infection: The challenge of interpreting data from proteomics, microarrays, and expression analyses
  • References
• 9. Baculoviruses as insecticides: Four examples
  • An NPV of the velvet bean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis: Application in Brazil – A major setback
  • 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
  • A nudivirus of the coconut palm rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros
  • References
• 10. Baculovirus expression technology: Theory and application
  • Some History
  • 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 non-encapsidated viral DNA
  • Baculovirus gene expression and biotechnology
  • Summary and conclusions
  • Baculovirus Expression Technology: Application
  • Post translational processing of baculovirus expressed proteins
  • Further baculovirus manipulation: Synthetic baculovirus technology
  • References
• 11. Baculoviruses, retroviruses, DNA transposons (piggyBac), and insect cells
  • A baculovirus-associated errantivirus (retrovirus)
  • Errantiviruses in Lepidoptera
  • Relationships between insect retroviruses and baculoviruses: the env gene
  • Cellular homologs of baculovirus F/errantivirus env proteins
  • Features of baculovirus F and insect retrovirus env proteins: Class I fusion proteins
  • Additional relationships of insect retroviruses and baculoviruses
  • Are errantiviruses infectious?
  • Does env play a role in errantivirus infectivity?
  • The invasion and amplification of retroelements
  • What prevents retroelements from amplifying continuously?
  • Suppression of transposable elements by DNA and histone methylation
  • Suppression of transposable elements by RNA interference
  • The Argonautes: proteins with RNAse activity that are critical in RNA interference
  • Suppression of transposable elements in gonadal cells
  • In Drosophila; flamenco, a source for piRNAs
  • Activation of endogenous retroelement sequences during a baculovirus infection
  • Piggybac, a transposon from Trichoplusia ni, that was originally isolated from a baculovirus.
  • Another DNA Transposon found in a baculovirus genome.
  • References
• 12. The AcMNPV genome: Gene content, conservation, and function
  • Adjustments to the AcMNPV genome sequence: There are approximately 150 orfs
  • Annotation of the AcMNPV genome
  • References
• 13. Selected baculovirus genes without orthologs in the AcMNPV genome: Conservation and function
  • References
• Glossary

Oregon State University is sponsoring Baculovirus Molecular Biology 4^th Edition in association with the author.