PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF A SMALL RNA VIRUS ASSOCIATED WITH BACULOVIRUS INFECTION IN TRICHOPLUSIA-NI

An RNA virus was isolated from T. ni larvae infected with inoculum of the baculovirus of Autographa californica. Physicochemical characterization revealed a 35-nm virus with a density in CsCl of 1.3 g/cm3 and a sedimentation coefficient of 200S. The virus consisted of 10-15% single-stranded RNA with an apparent MW of 1.9 .times. 106 and coat protein with a subunit size of 67,000. The virus is similar to the Nudaurelia capensis .beta. virus and also possesses some interesting similarities to the mammalian caliciviruses. The proposed cryptogram of the virus is R/1:1.9/12:S/S:I/O.