Molecular analysis of Campoletis sonorensis virus DNA in the lepidopteran host Heliothis virescens.

Nucleic acid hybridization techniques were used to analyse the fate of Campoletis sonorensis virus (CsV) DNAs in naturally parasitized and virus-injected Heliothis virescens larvae. Viral DNA persisted in injected H. virescens larvae from 0 to 10 days post-injection but no increase in the amount of viral DNA could be detected. Similarly, no increase in the amount of viral DNA was detected in naturally parasitized H. virescens larvae before the development of the C. sonorensis pupae. However, a dramatic increase of viral DNA was detected in pharate and newly emerged (0 to 48 h) adult C. sonorensis wasps. The results from these in vivo molecular analyses suggest that CsV replication does not occur in naturally parasitized or virus-injected H. virescens and that viral replication may be restricted to tissues of C. sonorensis wasps.