Baculovirus studies in new, indigenous lepidopteran cell lines

Abstract

63-68Eight lepidopteran cell lines were established recently and their susceptibility to different insect viruses was studied. Two Spodoptera litura cell lines from the larval and pupal ovaries, were found highly susceptible to S. litura nuclear polyhedrosis virus (SLNPV, 5-6 × 106 NPV/ml). The Helicoverpa armigera cell line from the embryonic tissue was highly susceptible to H. armigera NPV (HaNPV, 6.3 × 106 NPV/ml). These in vitro grown SLNPV and HaNPV caused 100% mortality to respective 2nd instar larvae. The susceptibility of the cryo-preserved cell lines to respective baculoviruses (SLNPV/HaNPV) was studied and no significant difference in their susceptibility status was observed. The cultures could grow as suspension culture on shakers and may find application for in vitro production of wild type/recombinant baculoviruses as bio-insecticides. S.litura and Bombyx mori cell lines from larval ovaries, were highly susceptible to Autographa californica NPV (5.5x106 NPV/ml) and Bombyx mori NPV (BmNPV, 6.1 x 106 NPV/ml) respectively. These cell lines may find application in baculovirus expression vector studies for the production of recombinant proteins, useful in the development of diagnostic kits or as vaccines<span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:Fd16594-Identity-H;mso-fareast-font-family:" times="" new="" roman";="" mso-bidi-font-family:fd16594-identity-h;color:black;mso-ansi-language:en-in;="" mso-fareast-language:en-in;mso-bidi-language:hi"="" lang="EN-IN">.</span