INFECTION OF A SPODOPTERA-FRUGIPERDA CELL-LINE WITH BOMBYX-MORI NUCLEOPOLYHEDROVIRUS

The interactions of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) with Spod optera frugiperda cells (Sf9) were investigated. S. frugiperda cells a re usually considered nonpermissive for BmNPV. However, in the present study, BmNPV DNA replication was observed and an increasing infectiou s titre, reaching 10(4) TCID50/ml on B. mori permissive cells by 6 day s post-transfection, developed in the supernatant of infected Sf9 cell s. Infection of SF9 cells by BmNPV did not induce a discernible shutof f of cellular protein synthesis and no overt cytopathic effects were o bserved. These data indicate that the low permissivity of Sf9 cells fo r BmNPV replication is associated with an inapparent infection. (C) 19 97 Elsevier Science B.V.