BIOLOGY AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ASCOVIRUSES

一项为期三年的研究提出了一种新的寄生虫病毒的特征。 发现分离的一组大的、有包膜的双链DNA病毒 从昆虫那里。重点研究了两个明显不同的 从根瘤蛾幼虫体内分离到的丝状病毒， Ni和Spotoptera rugiperda，将进行一系列研究 根据这些病毒的基本生物学和 生化特性。拟议研究的具体目标 包括开发提纯病毒粒子的技术， 关于病毒粒子的大小和构象的表征 DNA基因组和病毒粒子结构蛋白的分析。另外， 由这些病毒引起的大体病理、组织病理学和细胞病理学 将描述体内和体外的病毒。在病毒粒子 ，对现有分离株之间关系的研究将 利用病毒DNA和Southern的限制性内切酶分析进行 DNA同源性的印迹分析。这些研究将允许这些病毒 容易与其他有包膜的双链DNA区分 病毒，并将提供一个基础，以继续研究其 分子生物学。

A three-year study is proposed to characterize Ascoviruses, a newly discovered group of large, enveloped, double-stranded DNA viruses isolated from insects. With emphasis on studies of two apparently different ascoviruses, isolated respectively from larvae of the nocutid moths, Trichoplusia ni an Spodoptera frugiperda, a series of studies will be carried out to define these viruses in terms of their basic biological and biochemical properties. The specific objectives of the proposed research include the development of techniques for purification of virions, characterization of the virions in respect to the size and conformation of the DNA genome, and analysis of virion structural proteins. Additionally, the gross pathology, histopathology, and cytopathology caused by these viruses in vivo and in vitro will be described. After the virions have been characterized, studies of the relationships of existing isolates will be undertaken using restriction enzyme analysis of viral DNA and Southern blot analysis of DNA homologies. These studies will permit these viruses to be readily distinguished from other enveloped double-stranded DNA viruses, and will provide a basis on which to pursue studies of their molecular biology.