Sequencing and characterisation of p74 gene in two isolates of Anticarsia gemmatalis MNPV

P74 is a protein encoded in the genome of baculoviruses, associated with the envelopes of occluded virus. Its presence proved to be essential for per os infection. In first place, in this work we designed two universal primers to amplify a sequence region of the p74 ORF in baculoviruses from different classification groups. Then, by the use of these amplicons we obtained the complete sequence of the p74 locus from two isolates of AgMNPV, 2D (Brazil) and SF (Argentina). In the flanking regions we determined the complete sequence of p10 gene and a portion of p26 gene. Comparing both p74 sequence data (ORFs of 1935 bp) we found fifteen nucleotide changes that result in six amino acid changes. Comparisons of AgMNPV p74s with other baculovirus homologous genes indicate a close relationship with other group I Nucleopolyhedrovirus, in particular CfDEFNPV. These results were based on ORF sequence, amino acid sequence and gene order. The predictive studies about secondary structure and hydrophobic index point at six regions potentially associated to its function or native conformation. Finally, the detection of p74 mRNA after virus DNA replication confirms a late expression pattern.