Recombinant insect virus with reduced capacity for host-to-host transmission in the environment and methods to produce said virus
AssigneeAmerican Cyanamid Company Five Giralda Farms
InventorLynn Ann Brennan
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Abstract
A noninfectious insect virus is described having an altered genetic element whose function is restored by genetic complementation, thereby again producing the insect infectious form of the virus. Also described is the insertion of a heterologous gene into the viral genome, such that an insect controlling or modifying substance is also produced by the virus for an improved bioinsecticidal effect and genetic stability of desired traits.
Claims89
A complemented insect virus with reduced capacity for host-to-host transmission in the environment which is rendered noninfectious to insects by alteration of a genetic element of the virus, whose infectivity is restored by complementing with the product or function which is missing from or defective in the altered virus, such that the genetic ability to produce the missing or defective function is substantially absent or completely absent in any of the virus produced from such complementation;
- wherein such complementation rendering said virus infectious is supplied by a source other than a wild type virus and the virus produced from such complementation is capable of initiating secondary infection that spreads to other insect tissues;
- wherein the insect virus is a nuclear polyhedrosis virus.
A method for the production of an insect virus with reduced capacity for host-to-host transmission in the environment which comprises the steps of:
- (1) rendering the virus noninfectious to insects but capable of initiating secondary infection that spreads to other insect tissues by alteration of a genetic element of the virus;
- and (2) restoring the infectivity of the virus by complementing with the product or function which is missing from or defective in the altered virus, such that the genetic ability to produce the missing or defective function is substantially absent or completely absent in any of the virus produced from such complementation;
- and wherein such complementation rendering said virus infectious is not supplied by a wild type virus;
- and the virus is a nuclear polvhedrosis virus.
A complemented insect virus with reduced capacity for host-to-host transmission in the environment which is rendered noninfectious to insects by alteration of a genetic element of the virus, whose infectivity is restored by complementing with the product or function which is missing from or defective in the altered virus, such that the genetic ability to produce the missing or defective function is substantially absent or completely absent in any of the virus produced from such complementation;
- wherein such complementation rendering said virus infectious is supplied by a source other than a wild type virus and the virus produced from such complementation is capable of initiating secondary infection that spreads to other insect tissues;
- wherein the virus is a nuclear polyhedrosis virus and wherein the genetic element of the virus is a p74 gene or a p74 homolog of said gene.
A method for the production of an insect virus with reduced capacity for host-to-host transmission in the environment which comprises the steps of:
- (1) rendering the virus noninfectious to insects but capable of initiating secondary infection that spreads to other insect tissues by alteration of a genetic element of the virus;
- and (2) restoring the infectivity of the virus by complementing with the product or function which is missing from or defective in the altered virus, such that the genetic ability to produce the missing or defective function is substantially absent or completely absent in any of the virus produced from such complementation;
- and wherein such complementation rendering said virus infectious is not supplied by a wild type virus;
- and the insect virus is a nuclear polyhedrosis virus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.