A noda-like virus isolated from the sweetpotato pest Spodoptera eridania (Cramer) (Lep.; noctuidae)

A small isometric virus has been isolated from larvae of the sweetpotato pe st Spodoptera eridania (Cramer) collected near Pariacoto, Ancash province, Peru. It is designated the Pariacoto virus (PaV). In addition to its high p athogenicity on its natural host Spodoptera eridania PaV was found to repli cate in Spodoptera ochrea (Hampson) larvae but not in Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) larvae. The size of the viral particle was estimated to be about 3 0 nm in diameter. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a protein of ap proximately 40.5 kDa. After agarose gel electrophoresis, the viral genome a ppeared to be bipartite RNA. Gel immunodiffusion tests showed no serologica l relationship between PaV and Nodamura virus, the type species for insect nodaviruses. Electron microscopy confirmed that viral replication occurs in the cytoplasm, These properties are similar to those of other members of f amily Nodaviridae, to which the virus is currently assigned. (C) 1999 Acade mic Press.