Lymantria dispar multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus

Lymantria dispar multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus

"Lymantria dispar" multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus or LdMNPV is a viral infection in gypsy moths that causes infected larvae to die and disintegrate. Infected larvae climb to the top of a tree and die. The larvae then melt or disintegrate, falling onto the foliage below, where they infect more larvae.
Lymantria Dispar Multicapsid Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (LdMNPV) This virus is a naturally occurring virus specific to gypsy moth caterpillars (Lymantria dispar). It spreads like the common cold and is effective at reducing high-density gypsy moth populations. The virus is always present in gypsy moth populations and can be transmitted from a female moth to her offspring. It spreads naturally through the gypsy moth population, especially when caterpillars are abundant. During a gypsy moth outbreak, caterpillars become more susceptible to this virus because they are stressed from competing with one another for food and space. NPV is especially important during gypsy moth outbreaks in North America. Caterpillars killed by the NPV disease hang in an upside down V shape. Their bodies liquefy and rapidly disintegrate. Taxonomy: Superkingdom Viruses No classification - dsDNA viruses, no RNA stage Family - Baculoviridae Genus - Alphabaculovirus Species - Lymantria dispar multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus Habitat: Found dangling from a leaf in a deciduous forest Geotagged,Gypchek,LdMNPV,Lymantria Dispar Multicapsid Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus,Lymantria dispar multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus,NPV,Spring,United States,Wipfelkrankheit,caterpillar,caterpillar virus,gypsy moth nucleopolyhedrosis virus,gypsy moth virus,lymantria,lymantria dispar,lymantria dispar NPV,treetop disease,virus

Appearance

In 2011, the gene responsible for the behavior was identified. The baculovirus gene ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase inactivates the molting hormone ). Specifically, EGT works by transferring a sugar moiety from a nucleotide sugar donor to a hydroxyl group on 20E. By altering the virus, egt was seen as the gene responsible for manipulating the behavior of the larvae. It is the first example of an extended phenotype in a virus.

In another study, protein tyrosine phosphatase was found to have a crucial role in the virus's infection of brain tissue, but was not responsible for the enhanced locomotory activity associated with climbing to the top of the trees to die. PTP augments the baculovirus infection of the brain. Researchers note that it is an example of a captured host gene that has evolved in a different way from its ancestral host.
Lymantria Dispar Multicapsid Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (LdMNPV) This virus is a naturally occurring virus specific to gypsy moth caterpillars (Lymantria dispar). It spreads like the common cold and is effective at reducing high-density gypsy moth populations. The virus is always present in gypsy moth populations and can be transmitted from a female moth to her offspring. It spreads naturally through the gypsy moth population, especially when caterpillars are abundant. During a gypsy moth outbreak, caterpillars become more susceptible to this virus because they are stressed from competing with one another for food and space. NPV is especially important during gypsy moth outbreaks in North America. Caterpillars killed by the NPV disease hang in an upside down V shape. Their bodies liquefy and rapidly disintegrate. Taxonomy: Superkingdom Viruses No classification - dsDNA viruses, no RNA stage Family - Baculoviridae Genus - Alphabaculovirus Species - Lymantria dispar multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus Habitat: Mixed forest Geotagged,Lymantria dispar multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus,Summer,United States

Naming

Since it was first recorded, LdMNPV has been gone under numerous common names, taxonomical names, and acronyms. It was first reported in 1891 as Wipfelkrankheit, which is German for "treetop disease".:97 This term is also used in English, as is "wilt disease". The term "flacherie", a name that refers to an entirely different disease, was once identified as this virus. Another antiquated term, "caterpillar cholera", was also used early in the 20th century.

The virus has also been referred to as "Borralinivirus reprimens".

It has many modern names, including "gypsy moth nucleopolyhedrosis virus", "Lymantria dispar" MNPV, "Lymantria dispar" multinucleocapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus, "Lymantria dispar" nuclear polyhedrosis virus, "Lymantria dispar" nucleopolyhedrovirus, and "Lymantria disper" nuclear polyhedrosis virus, with varying acronyms attached or unattached including LdMNPV, and LdNPV.

Currently, as by taxonomy, the viral species is known as "Lymantria dispar" multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus.
Lymantria Dispar Multicapsid Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (LdMNPV) This virus is a naturally occurring virus specific to gypsy moth caterpillars (Lymantria dispar). It spreads like the common cold and is effective at reducing high-density gypsy moth populations. The virus is always present in gypsy moth populations and can be transmitted from a female moth to her offspring. It spreads naturally through the gypsy moth population, especially when caterpillars are abundant. During a gypsy moth outbreak, caterpillars become more susceptible to this virus because they are stressed from competing with one another for food and space. NPV is especially important during gypsy moth outbreaks in North America. Caterpillars killed by the NPV disease hang in an upside down V shape. Their bodies liquefy and rapidly disintegrate. Habitat: Mixed forest Geotagged,Gypchek,Lymantria dispar,Lymantria dispar multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus,NPV,Spongy Moth,Summer,United States,caterpillar,dead caterpillar,larva,lymantria,virus

Distribution

Virus is called an "epizootic", causing low mortality in low density populations and high mortality in high density populations. When it is used as a pesticide to control outbreaks, it is referred to as "Gypchek".
Lymantria Dispar Multicapsid Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (LdMNPV) Caterpillars killed by the NPV disease hang in an upside down V shape. Their bodies liquefy and rapidly disintegrate. Geotagged,LdMNPV,Lymantria Dispar Multicapsid Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (LdMNPV),Lymantria dispar,Lymantria dispar multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus,NPV,Summer,United States,virus

Behavior

Unaffected larvae feed at night and hide during the day. The virus instead drives the larva to the canopy of the tree and die. The larva liquefies and releases millions of virus particles to spread and infect other moth larvae. Even if it does not reach the top of the tree, the infected larva will migrate to the exposed parts of the plant.:97 Infected larvae are also paler due to the body being filled with viral occlusions.:97 Predators like birds are a source for the spread of the virus. The infected larvae are consumed and the virus is viable after its passage as feces, facilitating its spread.:97
Lymantria Dispar Multicapsid Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (LdMNPV) This virus is a naturally occurring virus specific to gypsy moth caterpillars (Lymantria dispar). It spreads like the common cold and is effective at reducing high-density gypsy moth populations. The virus is always present in gypsy moth populations and can be transmitted from a female moth to her offspring. It spreads naturally through the gypsy moth population, especially when caterpillars are abundant. During a gypsy moth outbreak, caterpillars become more susceptible to this virus because they are stressed from competing with one another for food and space. NPV is especially important during gypsy moth outbreaks in North America. Caterpillars killed by the NPV disease hang in an upside down V shape. Their bodies liquefy and rapidly disintegrate. Taxonomy: Superkingdom Viruses No classification - dsDNA viruses, no RNA stage Family - Baculoviridae Genus - Alphabaculovirus Species - Lymantria dispar multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus Habitat: Found dangling from a branch in a swamp Geotagged,LdMNPV,Lymantria Dispar Multicapsid Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (LdMNPV),Lymantria dispar,Lymantria dispar multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus,NPV,Spring,United States,caterpillar

Defense

LdMNPV has undergone numerous tests in regards to toxicity and mortality, all of which show no adverse effects except varying irritation for ocular doses administered to the eyes of rabbits. LdMNPV was found to not infect other members of the order Lepidoptera, or Hymenoptera-order insects such as ants and bees.

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

Taxonomy
KingdomVirus
DivisionIncertae sedis
ClassIncertae sedis
OrderIncertae sedis
FamilyBaculoviridae
GenusAlphabaculovirus
SpeciesLymantria dispar multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus
Photographed in
United States of America