Abstract
The Baculoviridae, a family of insect-specific large DNA viruses, is widely used in both biotechnology and biological control. Its applied value stems from millions of years of evolution influenced by interactions with their hosts and the environment. To understand how ecological interactions have shaped baculovirus diversification, we reconstructed a robust molecular phylogeny using 217 complete genomes and ~580 isolates for which at least one of four lepidopteran core genes was available. We then used a phylogenetic-concept-based approach (mPTP) to delimit 165 baculovirus species, including 38 species derived from new genetic data. Phylogenetic optimization of ecological characters revealed a general pattern of host conservatism punctuated by occasional shifts between closely related hosts and major shifts between lepidopteran superfamilies. Moreover, we found significant phylogenetic conservatism between baculoviruses and the type of plant growth (woody or herbaceous) associated with their insect hosts. In addition, we found that colonization of new ecological niches sometimes led to viral radiation. These macroevolutionary patterns show that besides selection during the infection process, baculovirus diversification was influenced by tritrophic interactions, explained by their persistence on plants and interactions in the midgut during horizontal transmission. This complete eco-evolutionary framework highlights the potential innovations that could still be harnessed from the diversity of baculoviruses.
Highlights
The use of baculoviruses (BVs) as expression vectors has mainly focused on the development of a single virus, namely Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) [1], and to a lesser extent, Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) [2]
A data-mining analysis was performed on public genetic databases and resulted in the collation of 749 BV isolates properly formatted, containing the nucleotide sequences of at least one of four lepidopteran BV core genes
Our current understanding of BV diversity and evolution has been fueled by decades of research on biological control and biotechnological applications
Summary
The use of baculoviruses (BVs) as expression vectors has mainly focused on the development of a single virus, namely Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) [1], and to a lesser extent, Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) [2]. The family Baculoviridae, encompasses hundreds of isolates, many of which have been studied in the context of biological control of insect pests, but some of which could in the future prove as useful as AcMNPV for biotechnological applications, by providing new molecular and biochemical products with contrasting antigenic properties or by infecting new, more productive cell lines. In this context, it is important to describe the taxonomical diversity of BVs to ensure that new Viruses 2018, 10, 366; doi:10.3390/v10070366 www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses. To delineate species boundaries requires an understanding of BV evolution based on both historical and ecological perspectives
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