Biopolymers and cell. 2002; 18 (1): 3 - 12

Structural and functional organization of baculovirus genome

L. I. Strokovskaya, I. M. Kikhno, R. A. Meleshko

The Baculoviridae is a diverse family of pathogens which are infectious for arthropods and are characterized by a complex replication cycle that culminates in the occlusion of virions in a crystalline protein matrix. Baculovirus genes are expressed in a transcriptional cascade in which each successive phase is dependent on the expression of genes during the previous phase. The review summarizes our current understanding of this unique gene expression mechanism, as well as a mechanism of baculovirus replication connected with it. The nucleotide sequences and genes involved in these processes are described.