폴리드나바이러스(polydnavirus: PDV)는 일부 내부기생봉에 공생하는 이중나선형 DNA 바이러스 분류군이다. Cotesia plutellae bracovirus (CpBV)는 프루텔고치벌(C. plutellae)에 공생하는 일종의 PDV이다. 프루텔고치벌은 어린 배추좀나방(Plutella xylostella) 유충에 기 생한다. 기생 초기에 발현하는 CpBV-ELP1 유전자는 혈구세포에 세포독성을 발휘하면서 기주의 세포성 면역을 억제하여 기생에 중요한 역할을 담당하고 있다. 본 연구는 이 유전자를 담배 식물에서 발현하여 해충에 대한 경구독성을 분석하는 데 목적을 두었다. 재조합 CpBV-ELP1 단백질 이 배큘로바이러스 발현시스템을 통해 합성되어 세포배양액에 분비되었다. 수거된 세포배양액은 일련의 단백질 분리과정(ammonium sulfate 단백질 분획, size exclusion 크로마토그래피, 이온교환 크로마토그래피)을 통해 CpBV-ELP1 단백질을 분리하는 데 이용되었다. 분리된 rCpBV-ELP1 단백질은 파밤나방(Spodoptera exigua) 혈구에 대한 뚜렷한 세포독성을 보였다. CpBV-ELP1은 파밤나방 5령충에 대해서 혈강 주입하여 살충력을 나타냈고, 엽침지법을 이용하여 경구독성을 갖고 있는 것을 확인하였다. CpBV-ELP1 유전자를 CaMV 35S 유전자 프로모터 와 opaline synthase 유전자 전사종결신호를 갖는 pBI121 벡터에 클로닝하여 Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 세균에 형질전환을 유도하였 다. 형질전환된 세균은 담배(Nicotiana tabacum Xanthi)잎에 감염하여 캘러스를 유도하게 하였고 이후 차세대(T1)를 확보하였다. T1 세대 담배 는 파밤나방에 대한 해충저항성을 갖고 있음을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과는 CpBV-ELP1 유전자가 형질전환작물을 통해 해충방제에 응용될 수 있 다는 것을 제시하고 있다.

Cotesia plutellae bracovirus (CpBV) is a bracoviral polydnavirus and a parasitic factor of an endoparasitioid wasp, C. plutellae, which parasitizes the diamondback moth (DBM) larvae. CpBV genome was reported to consist of 35 circular segments and encode 157 predicted open reading frames (ORFs). This study revisited and re-annotated the CpBV genome. Total ORFs consist of 15 groups of known gene or gene families as well as hypothetical (HP) group. All 74 HP genes are matched to other PDV genes. RNASeq analysis indicates that 147 genes out of 157 predicted ORFs are expressed in the parasitized DBM at the first day or 7 days after parasitization. At the early parasitic stage, CpBV genes annotated as ELP, BEN, E94K, DUFB, PTP, and HP are highly expressed compared to late parasitic stage. Interestingly, highly expressed genes at the late parasitic stages are HPs.

Polydnavirus (PDV) is a group of double-stranded DNA insect viruses. PDV is mutualistic with some ichneumonid and braconid wasps to parasitize specific lepidopteran hosts. The viral genome is located on the wasp chromosome(s) as a proviral form and replicates only at the female reproductive organ during late pupal stage. The viral particles are accumulated in the oviduct lumen and delivered to the parasitized host along with wasp eggs during parasitization. The viral particles enter target tissues in the parasitized larvae and alter host physiological processes for the wasp development by suppressing immune responses and extending larval period. Cotesia plutellae bracovirus (CpBV) is a PDV symbiotic to C. plutellae parasitizing young larvae of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. The viral particles of CpBV encode 157 open reading frames classified into different gene families. CpBV-PTP family is the largest and comprises of at least 40 gene members. CpBV-BEN, CpBV-ELP, and CpBV-IkB families also share common motifs in each gene group. In addition, two homologous genes of CpBV15α and CpBV15β are encoded in a viral genome segment. To apply these viral genes to enhance an alpha-baculovirus in insecticidal activity, they were recombined with AcNPV under a PDV promoter. As a control, under the same promoter, the recombinant baculovirus expressed an enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP). Upon injection or oral feeding tests, three different recombinant baculoviruses (AcNPV-ELP1, AcNPV-CpBV15α, AcNPPV-CpBV15β) enhanced the insecticidal activity compared to a control recombinant (AcNPV-EGFP). However, there was a variation in the up-regulation of the insecticidal activities among the recombinants. AcNPV-ELP1 showed the greatest potency in the insecticidal activity against the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, larvae. AcNPV-ELP1 exhibited a significant variation in insecticidal activity among different larval stages of S. exigua. In the fifth instar, 1.435x107 PIB treatment of AcNPV-ELP1 showed a median lethal time at 112.7 h. ELP1 protein was detected in the hemolymph at 24 h after the viral treatment. Foliar spray of AcNPV-ELP1 was performed in pot assay and resulted in 88% control efficacy against S. exigua, while control efficacies of AcNPV-EGFP and bifenthrin (a pyrethroid insecticide) resulted in 65% and 96%, respectively. These results suggest that a PDV gene, ELP1, may be applied to develop a novel control agent by ameliorating commercial microbial insecticides or by generating transgenic crops.

Baculovirus expression system has been used to produce functional proteins of various eukaryotic genes. A polydnaviral gene, CpBV-ELP1, was cloned in an alpha-baculovirus, Autographa californica multiple nuclear polyhedral virus (AcNPV), and expressed in Sf9 cells. CpBV-ELP1 protein was released into the culture medium due to its signal peptide. The culture broth containing CpBV-ELP1 was collected and fractionated with different concentrations of ammonium sulfate. Most CpBV-ELP1 was precipitated in 25-100% ammonium sulfate. The precipitate proteins were separated with a size exclusion chromatography sieving 100 kDa size. CpBV-ELP1 was eluted after relatively high molecular weight protein peaks. The fractions rich in CpBV-ELP1 were collected and further fractionated with an anion exchange chromatography. The purified CpBV-ELP1 was toxic to both larvae of Plutella xylostella and Spodoptera exigua by oral test used as leaf dipping method. A lethal median concentrations (LC50) were 7.5 ㎍/mL (95% CI: 1.2-24.3 ㎍/mL) for 2nd instar larvae of P. xylostella and 4.4 ㎍/mL (95% CI: 1.9-8.4 ㎍/mL) for 3rd instar larvae of S. exigua. These results suggest that CpBV-ELP1 may be applied to develop novel transgenic crops.

Insect immunity is innate and consists of cellular and humoral immune responses. Cellular immune response usually requires hemocyte-spreading behavior, which is accompanied by cytoskeletal rearrangement. A glycolytic enzyme, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), catalyzes an oxidation reaction of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate to 1,3-biphosphoglycerate in the cytosol. Another function of GAPDH in mammalian cell is to bind C-terminal α-tubulin to facilitate cytoskeletal arrangement. An immunoprecipitation (IP) of viral protein, CpBV-CrV1, against hemocyte protein lysate revealed that CpBV-CrV1 binds to GAPDH, identified by MALDI-TOF analysis. RNA interference (RNAi) of GAPDH significantly suppressed cellular immune response, but neither RNAi of hexokinase nor aldolase suppressed the cellular immune response. A common molecular motif of CpBV-CrV1 and a-tubulin at C-terminal region supported the IP analysis. To test the role of α-tubulin motif in CpBV-CrV1, point mutations of CpBV-CrV1 were applied and resulted in loss of the biological activity of CpBV-CrV1. Furthermore, an immunofluorescence assay indicates CpBV-CrV1 colocalized with a-tubulin in hemocytes collected from Plutella xylostella parasitized by Cotesia plutellae possessing C. plutellae bracovirus (CpBV). This result suggests that GAPDH plays a critical role in hemocyte-spreading behavior during immune challenge, and it is a molecular target of the pathogenic virus.

An endoparasitoid wasp, Cotesia plutellae parasitized young larvae of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. Parasitized larvae exhibit sign ificant immunosuppression and fail to metamorphose to pupal stage. Especially, during last instar of parasitized P.xylostella, massive nutrients divert from host to wasp development. CpBV15α ,a host translation inhibitory factors encoded in C. Plutella bracovirus(CpBV), plays a crucial role in suppressing host usage of amino acids. Its promoter analysis shows that CpBV15α specifically inhibit host development in late larval period. To understand its inhibitory target, its specific expression was performed in non-parasitized P. xylostella by in vivo transient expression technique. Total plasma proteins were analyzed by 2D gel electrophoresis and determined target genes inhibited by CpBV15α. Immunoprecipation of cellular extract with CpBV15α antibody captured eIF2B. CpBV15α shares sequence homology with eIF5, especially at its eIF2B-binding region. Our results suggest that CpBV15α may sequester eIF2B, which result in malfunctioning of eIF2 cycling to form a translation initiation complex.

Parasitization by Cotesia plutellae inhibits pupal metamorphosis of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. Two questions are raised : (1) which parasitic factor(s) is responsible for the antimetamorphosis and (2) how the parasitized larvae are altered in endocrine signals. This study addressed both questions. When C. plutellae bracovirus (CpBV), a parasitic factor of the wasp, alone was injected to nonparasitized P. xylostella larvae, it significantly inhibited pupal metamorphosis in a dosedependent manner. Corpora allata (CA) and prothoracic gland (PTG) were compared in both nonparasitized and parasitized P. xylostella. In both groups, size and shape of CA were not different. However, PTG was detected on prothoracic tracheal trunk in nonparasitized larvae, but not detected in parasitized. CpBV injection to nonparasitized larvae inhibited the growth of PTG. Transcriptional factor, broad complex, was partially cloned and expressed in nonparasitized P. xylotella. In parasitized or CpBV-injected larvae, broad complex gene was not expressed during late larval stage.

A polydnavirus, Cotesia plutellae bracovirus (CpBV), is a symbiotic provirus to an endoparasitoid wasp, C. plutellae. When the wasp parasitizes its natural host, Plutella xylostella, larvae, CpBV viral particles are translocated to hemocoel of P. xylostella along with the wasp eggs. CpBV-ELP1 is encoded in a viral segment and expressed in the parasitized larvae during entire parasitization period. A recombinant baculovirus expressing CpBV-ELP1 was constructed and applied to a non-natural host, Spodoptera exigua, larvae. When the recombinant baculovirus was injected to hemocoel, CpBV-ELP1 was expressed in hemocytes as early as 2h postinjection and then later expressed in other tissues. When it was applied to diet, CpBV-ELP1 was expressed in midgut epithelium at 12 h and subsequently expressed in internal tissues. Both application methods of the recombinant baculovirus caused significantly higher mortality of S. exiguathan non-recombinant baculovirus. Interestingly, midgut epithelial cells expressing CpBV-ELP1 by infection of the recombinant baculovirus showed poor cell-cell interactions. Integrin, a cell surface molecule associated with cell-cell interaction, was cloned in S. exigua and was confirmed in its expression in the midgut epithelium. A hypothesis was raised that CpBV-ELP1 interrupts integrin function by direct binding or by blocking internal integrin signaling.

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella parasitized by its endoparasitoid Cotesia plutellae undergoes various physiological alterations which involves immunosuppression and developmental arrest. Its symbiotic virus, C. plutellae bracovirus (CpBV) is highly essential for their successful parasitization which possesses more than 136 genes encoded. CpBV15βunique in CpBV genome is expressed at low levels in early and at higher levels during late parasitization period. This gene product alters the hemocyte-spreading behavior through inhibition of protein synthesis under in vitro conditions. In the current study, we investigated its specific involvement in physiological functions in the host by transient expression and RNA interference techniques. The open reading frame of CpBV15βwas cloned into a eukaryotic expression vector and this recombinant CpBV15β was transfected into healthy non-parasitized 3rd instar P. xylostella by microinjection. CpBV15βwas expressed as early as 24 h and was consistent up to 72 h. Due to the expression of this gene, the hemolymph storage protein levels were significantly reduced and the ability of the hemocytes to adhere and spread on extracellular matrix was altered or reduced, wherein CpBV15βwas detectable in the cytoplasm of hemocytes based on indirect immunofluorescence assay. To confirm the role of CpBV15β, its double stranded RNA could efficiently recover the functional efficacy of hemocytes towards non-self and synthesis of storage proteins. Thus these results clearly demonstrate the role of CpBV15βin altering the host physiology by involving in cellular immune response and host protein synthesis.

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, is reluctant to a baculovirus, Autographa california nucleopolyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) at its oral administration. However, parasitization by an endoparasitoid wasp, Cotesia plutellae, enhances the viral susceptibility. This study analyzed an antiviral activity of P. xylostella in response to the viral infection and determined the parasitic factor inhibiting the antiviral mechanism. For the analysis of antiviral activity of P. xylostella, a recombinant AcNPV expressing enhanced green fluorescence (AcNPV-EGFP) was orally adminstered to lavae of P. xylostella. After 24 h, EGFP expression was observed in the midgut tissue at a confocal-FITC mode. At the same time, a characteristic midgut melanotic response (MMR) was observed in some midgut regions under a phase contrast microscope. Thereafter, the EGFP signal was attenuated, while MMR spread on most midgut region. When the MMR was scored from 0 to 5 by the intensity of melanized cell density, it increased in time- and dose-dependent manners at the viral administration per os. These results suggest that the MMR is an antiviral activity of P. xylostella. This antiviral activity was significantly attenuated by C. plutellae parasitism. The parasitized P. xylostella showed significant decrease in the MMR score compared to nonparasitized larvae when they were orally administered with the same dose of AcNPV. To determine the parasitic factor(s) inhibiting the antiviral activity from the symbiotic polydnavirus of C. plutellae (C. plutellae bracovirus: CpBV), CpBV-IkB, which is a viral homolog of NFkB inhibitor and has been considered as an antiviral factor as in other polydnaviruses, was tested. A recombinant AcNPV expressing CpBV-IkB (AcNPV-IkB) was constructed and administered to P. xylostella larvae. As expected, AcNPV-IkB significantly decreased the antiviral activity measured by the MMR score compared to AcNPV-EGFP treatment. This study suggests that CpBV-IkB plays an antiviral parasitic role in the molecular interactions between P. xylostella and C. plutellae.

Inhibitor <SUB>K</SUB>B (I<SUB>K</SUB>B)-like gene has been found ill the genome of Cotesia plutellae bracovirus (CpBV), which is the obligatory symbiont of an endoparsitoid wasp, C. plutellae. The open reading frame of CpBV-I<SUB>K</SUB>B was 417 bp and encoded 138 amino acids. Four ankyrin repeat domains were found in CpBV-I<SUB>K</SUB>B, which shared high homology with other known polydnavirus I<SUB>K</SUB>Bs. Considering a presumptive cellular I<SUB>K</SUB>B based on Drosophila Cactus, CpBV-I<SUB>K</SUB>B exhibited a truncated structure with deletion of signal-receiving domains, which suggested its irreversible inhibitory role in NF<SUB>K</SUB>B signal transduction pathway of the parasitized host in response to the wasp parasitization. CpBV-I<SUB>K</SUB>B was expressed only in the parasitized diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. Its expression was estimated by quantitative RT-PCR during parasitization period, showing a constitutive expression pattern from the first day of parasitization. An indirect functional analysis of CpBV-I<SUB>K</SUB>B was conducted and suggested a hypothesis of host antivirus inhibition.

폴리드나바이러스는 일부 내부기생봉의 공생 바이러스로서 기생봉 기생과정중 피기생자의 면역억제와 발육지연에 중요한 역할을 담당한다. 프루텔고치벌(Cotesia plutellae)유래 브라코바이러스(CpBV)는 피기생자의 발육을 교란시키는 주요 원인자로서 작용하는 폴리드나바이러스의 일종이다. 본 연구는 이 CpBV가 비자연기주에게도 발육교란을 유발할 수 있는 지 조사하였다. 이를 위해 프루텔고치별에 의해 기생되지 않는 비기주인 파밤나방(Spodoptera exigua)을 이용하였다. 이용된 CpBV는 프루델고치벌 난소받침(calyx)추출물에서 얻었다. 이 추출물은 CpBV항체에 대해서 뚜렷한 항원-항체반응성으로 CpBV 보유가 입증되었다. 고치벌 암컷 한 마리 CpBV 추출물을 후기 4령의 파밤나방 혈강내로 주입시켰다. CpBV 주입된 파밤나방 유충은 유충기간이 연장되고, 체중증가 가 억제되며, 궁극적으로 변태가 억제되었다. 이러한 CpBV의 발육억제 효과는 이 바이러스의 항체를 함께 주입하여 줌으로 해소되었다. 여기서 항체 단독으로는 파방나방 유충 발육에 아무런 영향을 주지 않았다. 이 결과는 CpBV가 공생 기생봉의 비기주체에 대해서 발육교란 효과를 줄 수 있다는 것을 제시하고 있다.