EXPRESSION OF BETA-GALACTOSIDASE AND LUCIFERASE IN INSECT-CELL LINES INFECTED WITH A RECOMBINANT ACMNPV

An AcMNPV recombinant (Ac-gal-luc) carrying the beta-galactosidase and luciferase genes under the control of the p10 and polyhedrin promoter s, respectively, was used to study expression in nine insect cell line s. All AcMNPV-permissive cell lines expressed both reporter genes with the coleopteran cell line, Anthonomus grandis (AGE), Producing the hi ghest concentrations of beta-galactosidase (5.0 X 10(6) pg/ml) and luc iferase (2.67 X 10(3) pg/ml). Both enzymes were detected as early as 1 2 h postinoculation in lysate samples of the AGE cell line. Helicoverp a armigera (HA), a nonpermissive cell line, expressed beta-galactosida se at 12 h postinoculation at a concentration of 3.5 X 10(3) pg/ml. Ho wever, expression of luciferase was not detected. Expression of lucife rase and beta-galactosidase was also not detected in the nonpermissive Helicoverpa zea (HZ) cell line.