THE DNA-SEQUENCE OF CHILO IRIDESCENT VIRUS BETWEEN THE GENOME COORDINATES 0.101 AND 0.391 - SIMILARITIES IN CODING STRATEGY BETWEEN INSECT AND VERTEBRATE IRIDOVIRUSES

Chilo iridescent virus (CIV), the type species of the genus Iridovirus within the family Iridoviridae, is highly pathogenic for larvae of im portant pest insects. The virions contain a single linear double-stran ded DNA molecule (209 kbp) that is circularly permuted and terminally redundant. The nucleotide sequence of the viral genome between the gen ome coordinates 0.101 and 0.391 (60,170bp) was determined by automated cycle sequencing. This particular region of the CN genome contains 11 2 open reading frames (ORFs) with coding capacities for 50 to 1186 ami no acids. The alignment of the deduced amino acid sequences with well- characterized proteins stored in protein databases led to the identifi cation of several genes with significant homologies, such as the large st subunit of the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, large subunit of the r ibonucleoside-diphosphate reductase, endonuclease, protein-tyrosine ph osphatase, helicase, global transactivator, two apoptosis inhibitor ho mologs, antibiotic peptide homolog, and others. The highest homologies were detected between putative viral gene products of CIV and the cor responding viral proteins of lymphocystis disease virus of fish (LCDV) , which belongs to the genus Lymphocystivirus within the iridovirus fa mily.