Experimental and evolutionary evidence for horizontal transfer of an envelope fusion protein gene between thogotoviruses and baculoviruses.

ABSTRACT: Baculoviruses are insect-specific viruses with large, double-stranded DNA genomes classified into four genera. Alphabaculoviruses, which infect lepidoptera, are further divided into group I (G1-α) and group II (G2-α). The GP64 protein, essential for cell attachment and viral entry in G1-α baculoviruses, is thought to have originated through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from thogotoviruses (family Orthomyxoviridae). This study investigates the functional substitution of GP64 by thogotovirus fusion proteins. Through RNA-seq data mining, we identified a novel thogotovirus, Melitaea didyma thogotovirus 1 (MediTHOV-1), in lepidopteran hosts. Phylodynamic analysis of G1-α baculovirus and thogotovirus glycoproteins suggests that the HGT event occurred during the Mesozoic era. To test fun

SUBMITTER: Milhomem Pilati Rodrigues B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12282062 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature