Genomics of the Spruce Budworm and Its Viral Parasites
Summary
Canada is custodian of approximately 10% of the world’s forests. Occupying nearly 35% of its land mass, this enormous, renewable resource sustains the economy, the environment, and recreation. Forests contribute approximately $30 billion annually to the economy; about 10% of all the country’s jobs relate to forestry.
This project improved the health of Canada’s forests by using genomics to study the spruce budworm – a devastating pest. The goal was environmentally safe biological control agents - viruses and bacteria that control infestations but do not affect any other forest organisms or humans.
The team carried out genomic studies of the spruce budworm and its viruses and the molecular basis of their interactions. Its outcomes included extensive knowledge about the pest’s genomics and many of its naturally occurring viruses, environmentally friendly methods that use insect viruses to control the pest, and a way to produce large amounts of viral proteins that the pharmaceutical industry and agricultural and veterinary agencies can exploit.
The team also produced a large set of DNA molecules that allowed it to study budworm genes that affect moulting, development, and resistance to viruses. It developed an efficient way to make proteins in the test tube. For the viruses that infect spruce budworm, it determined the entire gene sequence of the most significant ones. This information can stimulate further genetic characterization of the viruses, creation of virus gene-mutations, and studies of viral gene expression. These researchers modified viruses to make them more effective than normal ones against the spruce budworm.
Fast Facts
- Highlighted outcome: Genomic tools and knowledge leading to control of the spruce budworm. The technologies can also apply to other insect pests of forests and agriculture.
- Number of research personnel: 19.
- Number of peer-reviewed publications: 47 plus 9 book chapters.
- Number of patents in process or obtained: 1.
Notable Publications
Arif BM. 2005. A brief journey with insect viruses. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 89:39-45.
Willis LG, Siepp R, Stewart TM, Erlandson MA, and Theilmann DA. 2005. Sequence analysis of the complete genome of Trichoplusiani single nucleopolyhedrovirus and the identification of a baculoviral photolyase gene. Virology. 338: 209-26.
de Jong JG, Lauzon HA, Dominy C, Poloumienko A, Carstens EB, Arif BM, and Krell PJ. 2005. Analysis of the Choristoneura fumiferana nucleopolyhedrovirus genome. J. Gen. Virol. 86:929-43.
Escasa SR, Lauzon HA, Mathur AC, Krell PJ, and Arif BM. 2006. Sequence analysis of the Choristoneura occidentalis granulovirus genome. J. Gen. Virol. 87:1917-33.
