Mutant nudivirus insect control
AssigneeUniversity of Kentucky Research Foundation
InventorsBruce Webb, Emrah Ozel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are the H. zea nudivirus sequence and two additional related sequences from H. virescens and H. armigera nudiviruses for development of genetically modified nudiviruses capable of being sexually transmitted by an insect useful for controlling pest populations. Such genetically modified nudiviruses are capable of causing sterility in a target population of insects. Previously disclosed were insects infected with the previously disclosed genetically modified H. zea nudivirus, methods of making genetically modified nudiviruses, and methods of using genetically modified nudiviruses to control an insect pest population.
Claims16
A lepidopteran insect infected with a virus comprising a genetically modified Heliothis virescens nudivirus (HvNV) having at least one mutation in a region selected from the group comprising HvNV Open Reading Frame 90 (HvNV ORF90)(SEQ ID NO:
- 21), HvNV Open Reading Frame 92 (HvNV ORF92) (SEQ ID NO:
- 22) and HvNV Persistence-associated Gene (HvNV pag1) (SEQ ID NO:
- 26) to disrupt expression of the gene product encoded by said mutant region, wherein said virus causes increased lepidopteran insect sterility as compared to a wild-type HvNV virus.
A method of making a lepidopteran insect capable of transmitting a virus comprising a genetically modified Heliothis virescens nudivirus (HvNV) having at least one mutation in a region selected from the group comprising HvNV Open Reading Frame 90 (HvNV ORF90) (SEQ ID NO:21), HvNV Open Reading Frame 92 (HvNV ORF92) (SEQ ID NO:
- 22), and HvNV Persistance-associated Gene (HvNV pag1) (HvNV ORF92) (SEQ ID NO:
- 26), to disrupt expression of the gene product encoded by said mutant region, wherein said virus causes increased lepidopteran insect sterility in said lepidopteran insect, comprising infecting said lepidopteran insect with said virus.
A method of protecting a crop from lepidopteran insect damage, comprising introducing lepidopteran insects infected with a virus comprising a genetically modified Heliothis virescens nudivirus (HvNV) having at least one mutation in a region selected from the group comprising HvNV Open Reading Frame 90 (HvNV ORF90) (SEQ ID NO:
- 21), HvNV Open Reading Frame 92 (HvNV ORF92) (SEQ ID NO:
- 22), and HvNV Persistence-associated Gene (HvNV pag1) (SEQ ID NO:
- 26), wherein said virus causes increased lepidopteran insect sterility in said lepidopteran insect introduced into said crop.
A method of reducing a lepidopteran insect population, comprising introducing into said lepidopteran insect population a lepidopteran insect infected with a virus comprising a genetically modified Heliothis virescens nudivirus (HvNV) having at least one mutation in a region selected from the group comprising HvNV Open Reading Frame 90 (HvNV ORF90) (SEQ ID NO:
- 21), HvNV Open Reading Frame 92 (HvNV ORF92) (SEQ ID NO:
- 22), and HvNV Persistence-associated Gene (HvNV pag1) (SEQ ID NO:
- 26), wherein said-genetically modified Heliothis virescens nudivirus (HvNV) causes increased lepidopteran insect sterility in said lepidopteran insect population.
A method of reducing a lepidopteran population comprising introducing into a lepidopteran insect population a virus comprising a genetically modified Heliothis virescens nudivirus (HvNV) having at least one mutation in a region selected from the group comprising HvNV Open Reading Frame 90 (HvNV ORF90) (SEQ ID NO:
- 21), HvNV Open Reading Frame 92 (HvNV ORF92) (SEQ ID NO:
- 22), and HvNV Persistence-associated Gene (HvNV pag1) (SEQ ID NO:
- 26), wherein said virus is introduced by feeding the virus to larvae or adults, wherein said virus causes increased sterility in said lepidopteran population as compared to a wild-type HvNV virus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.