ORF11 (ac11) of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) is a highly conserved gene of unknown function. To determine the role of ac11 in baculovirus life cycle, an ac11-knockout mutant AcMNPV, Ac11KO, was constructed. qPCR analysis revealed that ac11 is an early gene in the life cycle. After transfection into Spodoptera frugiperda cells, Ac11KO produced a single cell infection phenotype indicating that no infectious budded viruses (BVs) were produced. The defection in BV production was confirmed by both viral titration and Western blot. However, viral DNA replication is unaffected. Electron microscopy showed that ac11 is required for nucleocapsids envelopment to form ODV and their subsequent embedding into OB. This study therefore demonstrates that ac11 is an early gene which is essential for the viral life cycle.

• Xue Ying Tao(Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National Universit)
• Jae Young Choi(Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University)
• Woo Jin Kim(Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University)
• Qin Liu(Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University)
• Song Eun Kim(Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University)
• Saes Byeol An(Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University)
• Seok Hee Lee(Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University)
• Soo Dong Woo(College of Agriculture, Life and Environment Sciences, Chungbuk National University)
• Byung Rae Jin(College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University)
• Yeon Ho Je(Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University)