CHARACTERIZATION OF THE LYMANTRIA-DISPAR NUCLEOPOLYHEDROVIRUS 25K FP GENE

The Lymantria dispar nucleopolyhedrovirus (LdMNPV) gene encoding the 2 5K FP protein has been cloned and sequenced. The 25K FP gene codes for a 217 amino acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 24870 Da. Expression of the 25K FP protein in a rabbit reticulocyte system gene rated a 27 kDa protein, in close agreement with the molecular mass pre dicted from the nucleotide sequence. The gene is located between 40 . 3 and 40 . 8 map units on the viral genome. It is transcribed in a cou nterclockwise direction with respect to the circular map at late times during the infection cycle from a consensus baculovirus late promoter . The LdMNPV and Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) 25K FP proteins exhibit 52% amino acid identity with several regions s howing greater than 75% identity. Homologues to the AcMNPV orf59 and o rf60 were also identified upstream (with respect to the genome) of the 25K FP gene in LdMNPV and exhibit 52% and 45% amino acid identity, re spectively.