Three Late Expression Factor Genes of Orgyia ericae Single-nucleocapsid Nucleopolyhedrovirus

Genomic DNA of Orgyia ericae single-nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (OrerSNPV) was digested with the restriction enzyme EcoRI and the fragments were cloned into the plasmid pUC19 to build a library for sequencing. An ORF encoding the LEF-2 was identified from the cloned EcoRI-M （3.0kb）and EcoRI-P（2.2kb）fragments with 648 bp in length and potential to encode a 216 amino acid polypeptide with predicted molecular weight of 23.7 kD. In addition, two ORFs encoding the partial LEF-3 and LEF-11 were identified from two ends of the cloned EcoRI-E (about 10 kb). Comparison analysis showed that OrerSNPV LEF-2 amino acid sequence shared 35%-49% identities with those of other 27 reported lepidopteran NPV LEF-2s, and the highest identities with BusuSNPV, MacoNPV-A, Helicoverpa zea single-nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (HezeSNPV), Helicoverpa armigera single- nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearSNPV) and Lymantria dispar multiple-nucleocapsid nucleopoly- hedrovirus (LdMNPV). OrerSNPV LEF-2 also shared 26%-31%, 32% and 23% identities with those from lepidopteran GVs, the hymenopteran NPV (Neodiprion sertifer nucleopolyhedrovirus, NeseNPV) and the dipteran virus (Culex nigripalpus Baculovirus). Phylogenetic tree based on the amino acid sequences showed the 28 baculovirus LEF-2s could be divided into 4 branches, NPVs, GVs, NeseNPV and Culex nigripalpus Baculovirus. OrerSNPV lef-2 gene was most closely related to Buzura suppressaria single- nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (BusuSNPV), while OrerSNPV was most closely related to LdMNPV in the phylogenetic tree based on LEF-3 sequences and to Spodoptera exigua multiple- nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (SeMNPV) in the tree of LEF-11. EMBL Accession numbers for the nucleotide sequences of the lef-2, lef-3 and lef-11 are AJ629189, AJ715478 and AJ715479, respectively.