The genome sequence of Agrotis segetum nucleopolyhedrovirus B (AgseNPV-B) reveals a new baculovirus species within the Agrotis baculovirus complex

The genome of Agrotis segetum nucleopolyhedrovirus B (AgseNPV-B) was completely sequenced and compared with whole genome sequences of the Agrotis segetum nucleopolyhedrovirus A (AgseNPV-A) and Agrotis ipsilon nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgipNPV). The AgseNPV-B genome is 148,981 bp in length and encodes 150 putative open reading frames. AgseNPV-B contains two copies of the gene viral enhancing factor (vef), making the Agrotis nucleopolyhedroviruses and A. segetum granulovirus (AgseGV) very rich in vef in comparison to other baculoviruses. Genome alignments of AgseNPV-B, AgseNPV-A and AgipNPV showed a very high genome co-linearity interspersed with variable regions, which are considered as putative sites of genomic recombination. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that all three viruses are distinct. However, AgseNPV-B is more closely related to AgipNPV suggesting that both viruses are at an early stage of phylogenetic divergence. It is proposed that AgseNPV-B belongs to a third Alphabaculovirus species of the Agrotis baculovirus complex. The Agrotis exclamationis nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgexNPV) shared high nucleotide sequence identities with AgseNPV-B, suggesting it is actually an AgseNPV-B isolate.