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Applications of Baculoviruses: Expression Factories, Vaccines and VLPs, Gene Delivery...
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Applications of Baculoviruses: Expression Factories, Vaccines and VLPs, Gene Delivery Vectors, and Virus Genetics Models

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Invertebrate Viruses".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 1956

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Linda King

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
Interests: insect virus biology; baculovirus expression systems; baculovirus-host cell interactions at cellular level; molecular virology; insect virology; the biology and replication of insect baculoviruses in cultured insect cells and in larvae; the role of non-essential genes encoding proteins; the trafficking of virus proteins and particles through insect cells; baculoviruses as gene expression vectors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Miguel López-Ferber

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Hydrosciences Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, IMT Mines Ales, CNRS, IRD, Ales, France
Interests: baculovirus genetic diversity; virus-host interactions; biological control with viruses
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Studies on baculoviruses represent a large share of the insect virus research portfolio, partly due to the widespread use of this virus family in biotechnological applications since the landmark studies of Miller and Summers in the 1980s. In recent years, growing knowledge of the replication cycle of these viruses has allowed for expanding their use and improving the expression of heterologous genes, both in terms of quantity and quality. The use of baculoviruses for the control of insect pests has been specifically addressed in two recent Special Issues; however, new approaches in this field continue to emerge. Baculoviruses are also used as models for other pathogens, as they possess a narrow host range. In this Special Issue, we would like to produce a collection of papers showing the variety of applications of this virus family across agriculture, biotechnology and medicine. We also hope that this collection will promote further developments due to the cross-fertilization of the ideas presented across the various contributions.

Prof. Dr. Linda King
Prof. Dr. Miguel López-Ferber
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short 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.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • baculovirus
  • baculovirus–host cell interactions
  • baculovirus genetic diversity
  • baculovirus expression
  • baculovirus technology applications
 

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 6190 KiB  
Article
CRISPR/Cas9-Driven Engineering of AcMNPV Using Dual gRNA for Optimized Recombinant Protein Production
by Rocco Valente, Joaquín Poodts, Joaquín Manuel Birenbaum, María Sol Rodriguez, Ignacio Smith, Jorge Alejandro Simonin, Franco Uriel Cuccovia Warlet, Aldana Trabucchi, Salvador Herrero, María Victoria Miranda, Mariano Nicolás Belaich and Alexandra Marisa Targovnik
Viruses 2025, 17(8), 1041; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17081041 - 25 Jul 2025
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Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a powerful genome-editing tool that is applied in baculovirus engineering. In this study, we present the first report of the AcMNPV genome deletions for bioproduction purposes, using a dual single-guide RNA (sgRNA) CRISPR/Cas9 approach. We used this method to [...] Read more.
The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a powerful genome-editing tool that is applied in baculovirus engineering. In this study, we present the first report of the AcMNPV genome deletions for bioproduction purposes, using a dual single-guide RNA (sgRNA) CRISPR/Cas9 approach. We used this method to remove nonessential genes for the budded virus and boost recombinant protein yields when applied as BEVS. We show that the co-delivery of two distinct ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes, each assembled with a sgRNA and Cas9, into Sf9 insect cells efficiently generated deletions of fragments containing tandem genes in the genome. To evaluate the potential of this method, we assessed the expression of two model proteins, eGFP and HRPc, in insect cells and larvae. The gene deletions had diverse effects on protein expression: some significantly enhanced it while others reduced production. These results indicate that, although the targeted genes are nonessential, their removal can differentially affect recombinant protein yields depending on the host. Notably, HRPC expression increased up to 3.1-fold in Spodoptera frugiperda larvae. These findings validate an effective strategy for developing minimized baculovirus genomes and demonstrate that dual-guide CRISPR/Cas9 editing is a rapid and precise tool for baculovirus genome engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Baculoviruses: Expression Factories, Vaccines and VLPs, Gene Delivery Vectors, and Virus Genetics Models)
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10 pages, 1445 KiB  
Article
Importance of Target Gene Locus on the Stability of Recombinant Viruses in the Baculovirus Expression System
by Jong Ho Lee, Dong-Hyun Lee, Hyuk-Jin Moon and Soo Dong Woo
Viruses 2025, 17(7), 902; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17070902 - 26 Jun 2025
Viewed by 403
Abstract
In the baculovirus expression system, recombinant viruses generated via bacmids often exhibit reduced expression and genetic stability of target genes during serial passages. This instability is thought to arise from the proximity of non-essential exogenous genes to the target gene insertion site. This [...] Read more.
In the baculovirus expression system, recombinant viruses generated via bacmids often exhibit reduced expression and genetic stability of target genes during serial passages. This instability is thought to arise from the proximity of non-essential exogenous genes to the target gene insertion site. This study investigated the impact of the target gene insertion locus on its expression and stability within the recombinant viral genome. In addition to the conventional polyhedrin (polh) locus, we evaluated four additional loci located distal to the non-essential exogenous genes. Among them, the ODV-e56 and ChiA/v-cath loci maintained target gene expression and genetic stability more effectively than the polh and p10 loci, even after ten consecutive undiluted viral passages. Notably, essential or functionally important viral genes were located near the ODV-e56 and ChiA/v-cath loci, whereas such genes were absent near the p10 locus. These findings suggest that enhanced stability and expression are associated with the proximity to essential viral genes. Therefore, the strategic selection of target gene insertion sites in close proximity to essential viral elements, rather than simply avoiding non-essential exogenous regions, represents a promising strategy to enhance recombinant protein production in baculovirus expression systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Baculoviruses: Expression Factories, Vaccines and VLPs, Gene Delivery Vectors, and Virus Genetics Models)
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Review

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26 pages, 3619 KiB  
Review
Baculovirus-Based Biocontrol: Synergistic and Antagonistic Interactions of PxGV, PxNPV, SeMNPV, and SfMNPV in Integrative Pest Management
by Alberto Margarito García-Munguía, Carlos Alberto García-Munguía, Paloma Lucía Guerra-Ávila, Estefany Alejandra Sánchez-Mendoza, Fabián Alejandro Rubalcava-Castillo, Argelia García-Munguía, María Reyna Robles-López, Luis Fernando Cisneros-Guzmán, María Guadalupe Martínez-Alba, Ernesto Olvera-Gonzalez, Raúl René Robles-de la Torre and Otilio García-Munguía
Viruses 2025, 17(8), 1077; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17081077 - 2 Aug 2025
Viewed by 563
Abstract
The use of chemical pesticides in agriculture has led to the development of resistant pest populations, posing a challenge to long-term pest management. This review aims to evaluate the scientific literature on the individual and combined use of baculoviruses with conventional chemical and [...] Read more.
The use of chemical pesticides in agriculture has led to the development of resistant pest populations, posing a challenge to long-term pest management. This review aims to evaluate the scientific literature on the individual and combined use of baculoviruses with conventional chemical and biological insecticides to combat Plutella xylostella, Spodoptera exigua, and Spodoptera frugiperda in broccoli, tomato, and maize crops. Notable findings include that both individual Plutella xylostella nucleopolyhedrovirus (PxNPV) and the combination of Plutella xylostella granulovirus (PxGV) and azadirachtin at a low dose effectively control Plutella xylostella; both combinations of Spodoptera exigua multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SeMNPV) with emamectin benzoate and chlorfenapyr reduced resistance in Spodoptera exigua and increased the efficacy of the insecticides; and the combination of Spodoptera frugiperda nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV) and spinetoram is effective against Spodoptera frugiperda. Integrating baculoviruses into pest management strategies offers a promising approach to mitigate the adverse effects of chemical pesticides, such as resistance development, health risks, and environmental damage. However, there remains a broad spectrum of research opportunities regarding the use of baculoviruses in agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Baculoviruses: Expression Factories, Vaccines and VLPs, Gene Delivery Vectors, and Virus Genetics Models)
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