The Autographa californica Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirus ac51 Gene Is Required for Efficient Nuclear Egress of Nucleocapsids and Is Essential for In Vivo Virulence

Alphabaculoviruses are lepidopteran-specific nucleopolyhedroviruses that replicate within the nucleus; however, the anterograde transport of the nucleocapsids of these viruses, which is an obligatory step for progeny virion production, is not well understood. In the present study, a uniqueAlphabaculovirus gene with unknown function, namely, the Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV)ac51 gene, was found to be required for efficient nuclear egress of AcMNPV nucleocapsids.