Comprehensive physical map of the Cydia pomonella granulovirus genome and sequence analysis of the granulin gene region

A cloned strain of Cydia pomonella granulovirus, CpGV-M1, was obtained using successive rounds of an in vivo limiting dilution method. A detailed physical map of the genome was constructed using 11 restriction enzymes. The region containing the granulin gene and an open reading frame immediately upstream of the granulin gene was sequenced. This region showed a high degree of homology to the equivalent region from Cryptophlebia leucotreta granulovirus with 98% amino acid identity for the granulins and 68% identity for the putative polypeptides encoded by the upstream ORFs. These latter polypeptides contained two zinc finger-like motifs and showed a low degree of homology to ME53 from Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV). Evidence is presented for a similar upstream ORF in Artogeia rapae GV also. Hybridization studies showed that the CpGV genome had a similar overall organization to the Artogeia rapae GV genome. Hybridization between CpGV and AcMNPV was limited to fragments spanning about 15% of each genome suggesting that very few genes are highly conserved between GVs and NPVs.