Some insect viruses produce the occlusion body (OB), a large crystalline particle comprising a viral protein that occludes virions to protect them from harsh environments. The shapes and sizes of OBs are diverse depending on baculovirus species, but the detailed molecular mechanism determining them has yet to be totally clarified yet. Here we generated Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) mutants of the p24 gene that encodes a viral capsid protein and found that p24-mutated BmNPVs produced cuboidal OBs with a slightly larger size than typical truncated octahedral OBs produced by wild-type BmNPVs. Meanwhile, p24 disruption has no significant impact on progeny virus production and viral pathogenicity. In addition, we experimentally demonstrated that a single amino acid substitution found in the P24 protein of the BmNPV Cubic isolate caused cuboidal OB production. These results suggest that p24 has a crucial role in generating the typical shape of OBs.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2021.03.017 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Molecular and functional characterization of a β-tubulin gene in Plutella xylostella.
Int J Biol Macromol
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350002, China; Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Green Pest Control, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou 350002, China. Electronic address:
The β-tubulin gene is essential for reproductive development, especially for male fertility, in different insects including Bombyx mori and Drosophila melanogaster. Targeting reproductive genes such as β-tubulin offers a promising approach to pest control that is more sustainable than chemical pesticides. However, there is limited research on the functional role of β-tubulin in Plutella xylostella, a highly damaging pest of vegetable crops.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnhanced silk production and pupal weight in Bombyx mori through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated circadian Clock gene disruption.
PLoS One
January 2025
Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
The domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, is crucial for global silk production, which is a significant economic activity supporting millions of livelihoods worldwide. Beyond traditional silk production, the growing demand for insect larvae in cosmetics, biomedical products, and animal feed underscores the need to enhance B. mori productivity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFConserved Nuclear Localization Signal in NS2 Protein of Bombyx Mori Bidensovirus: A Potential Invertebrate ssDNA Virus Trait.
Viruses
January 2025
School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
Bombyx mori bidensovirus (BmBDV), a significant pathogen in the sericulture industry, holds a unique taxonomic position due to its distinct segmented single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) genome and the presence of a self-encoding DNA polymerase. However, the functions of viral non-structural proteins, such as NS2, remain unknown. This protein is hypothesized to play a role in viral replication and pathogenesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEfficient and Rapid Microfluidics Production of Bio-Inspired Nanoparticles Derived from Silkworm for Enhanced Breast Cancer Treatment.
Pharmaceutics
January 2025
School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Barber House, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK.
: In the quest for sustainable and biocompatible materials, silk fibroin (SF), derived from natural silk, has emerged as a promising candidate for nanoparticle production. This study aimed to fabricate silk fibroin particles (SFPs) using a novel swirl mixer previously presented by our group, evaluating their characteristics and suitability for drug delivery applications, including magnetic nanoparticles and dual-drug encapsulation with curcumin (CUR) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). : SFPs were fabricated via microfluidics-assisted desolvation using a swirl mixer, ensuring precise mixing kinetics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEffects of Novaluron Exposure on the Oviposition and Expression of Ovarian Development Related Genes in Silkworm, (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae).
Insects
December 2024
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural and Animal Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China.
(Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is an important economic insect, which mainly feeds on mulberry leaves and is widely used in many research fields. The growth and development of silkworm larvae are easily affected by the use of chemical insecticides such as novaluron, a benzoylurea insecticide. However, the effect of novaluron exposure on the reproduction of silkworms has not yet been studied.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!