A simple and efficient method for purification of prawn baculovirus DNA.

A new method for isolation of prawn baculovirus and subsequent extraction of viral DNA was developed. No density gradient centrifugation, ultracentrifugation or phenol-chloroform extraction steps were involved. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) was used to prevent proteinase degradation, DNase and RNase were used to degrade prawn DNA and RNA respectively. The nucleocapsid was a bacilliform virion, about 58 62 nm in width and 300-350 nm in length as observed by transmission electron microscopy. Intact viral DNA was obtained by lysing nucleocapsids with guanidine hydrochloride and degrading protein with proteinase K. As the viral DNA was digested with restriction endonuclease and separated by electrophoresis, restriction fragments were clearly shown on the agarose gel. The size of the DNA was estimated approximately to be 290 kb. The virus which appeared to be a prawn baculovirus was named prawn white spot baculovirus (PWSBV) due to the white spots which appeared on the inside surface of the crust of infected prawns.