In vivo transcriptional analysis of three baculovirus genes: evidence of homology between viral and host transcripts.

Transcripts for the gp64 and polyhedrin genes as well as a 1629 open reading frame (1629 ORF) of the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus were examined in the midgut tissues and hemocytes of uninfected and infected host Trichoplusia ni larvae and Sf21 cells. Polyhedrin-specific transcripts of 1.2, 3.4, and 4.9 kb were expressed in both infected larval tissues and infected Sf21 cells. The highest level of expression for polyhedrin-specific transcripts was observed in hemocytes, whereas the lowest level occurred in midgut. The expression of the 2.0-kb transcript for the gp64 gene increased continuously through 72 hr postinfection in the infected midgut tissues. This transcript was also observed in infected hemocytes, though its expression declined at 72 hr postinfection, as the expression for polyhedrin-specific transcripts peaked. The 1629 ORF transcripts of 2.0 and 3.2 kb were expressed in both types of infected tissues. More significantly, a 1629-ORF-specific probe detected host transcripts of 0.7 and 2.5 kb in uninfected midgut tissues as well as transcripts of 2.5, 8.8, and 11.0 kb in uninfected hemocytes under high stringency conditions. The latter results indicate that these host transcripts share homology with the 1629 ORF gene.