Special Issue "Insect Viruses"

Guest Editor
Dr. Dawn Gundersen-Rindal
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory, Bldg. 011A, Rm. 214, BARC-West, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
Website: http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=12-75-18-00
E-Mail: dawn.gundersen-rindal@ars.usda.gov
Phone: +1 301 5045689
Fax: +1 301 5045104

Guest Editor
Dr. Robert L. Harrison
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory, Building 011A, Room 214, BARC-West, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
E-Mail: robert.l.harrison@ars.usda.gov
Phone: +1 301 504 5249
Fax: +1 301 504 5104

Dear Colleagues,

Insects are the most numerous and diverse animals on the planet, and are attacked by a correspondingly wide variety of microorganisms.  This special issue of Viruses covers research on viruses that infect insects. Insect viruses have been the subject of basic research in virology and molecular biology and have been evaluated and deployed as safe, environmentally friendly means of controlling insect pests.  The largest and most studied group of insect viruses, the baculoviruses, has been developed into expression vectors that serve as invaluable tools for laboratory research and the production of vaccines and pharmaceuticals, and are currently being assessed as potential gene therapy vectors.  At the same time, insect viruses pose a significant threat to beneficial insects of great value, such as bees and silkworm moths.  The collection of reviews and original research papers in this special issue is intended to summarize and showcase current research on the diversity of viruses that are pathogenic for insects.

Dr. Dawn Gundersen-Rindal
Dr. Robert L. Harrison
Guest Editor

Submission

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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