Characterization of Mamestra configurata nucleopolyhedrovirus enhancin and its functional analysis via expression in an Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus recombinant

Enhancin genes have been identified in a number of baculoviruses and enhancin proteins are characterized by their ability to enhance the oral infectivity of heterologous baculoviruses in various lepidopteran insects. Here, we describe the putative enhancin gene from Mamestra configurata nucleopolyhedrovirus (MacoNPV), only the second NPV in which an enhancin-like ORF has been identified. The putative enhancin gene from MacoNPV has a typical baculovirus late promoter (ATAAG) 15 bp upstream from the ATG codon. The enhancin ORF encodes an 847 amino acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 98 kDa and contains a conserved zinc-binding domain (HEIAH) common to metalloproteases. The MacoNPV enhancin shows approximately 20 % amino acid identity with other baculovirus enhancins. An Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) recombinant, AcMNPV-enMP2, expressing the MacoNPV enhancin gene under control of its native promoter was developed and characterized. Northern blot analysis showed expression of enhancin from 24 through 72 h post-infection. In 2nd-instar Trichoplusia ni larvae, the LD50 of the AcMNPV-enMP2 recombinant was 2.8 polyhedral inclusion bodies (PIB) per larva, 4.4 times lower than that of AcMNPV E2 wild-type virus (12.4 PIB per larva). At biologically equivalent doses, i.e. LD90, the survival time 50 % (ST50) of AcMNPV-enMP2 recombinant and AcMNPV E2 wild-type viruses were not significantly different.