The nucleotide sequence of the Spodoptera litura granulovirus (SlGV) genome was determined and analysed. It was 124,121 bp long, with a 61.2% A+T content and contained 133 putative open reading frames (ORFs) of 150 nucleotides or larger. The 133 putative ORFs covered 86.3% of the genome. Among these, 29 ORFs were conserved in most completely sequenced baculovirus genomes, 44 were granuloviruses (GVs)-specific, 4 were nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPVs)-specific, and 56 were present in some NPVs and/or GVs. Especially, we proved that there were 9 SlGV-specific ORFs in 44 GV-specific ORFs by RT-PCR. Chitinase and cathepsin genes involved in the liquefaction of the infected hostwere not found in the SlGV genome, which explains why SlGV-infected insects do not degrade in a typical manner. When the phylogenic relationship was analyzed using the nucleotide sequence of granulin gene, SlGV was most closely related to Trichoplusia ni granulovirus (TnGV) and Xestia c-nigrum granulovirus (XcGV) which were belonged to TypeI granulovirus.

• Yong Wang(Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University)
• Jae Young Choi(Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University)
• Jong Yul Roh(Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University)
• Hee Jin Shim(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)