Complete sequence, analysis and organization of the Graphiphora augur granulovirus genome

Graphiphora augur (Lepidoptera; Noctuidae) is an important forest pest, but its associated viruses remain largely uncharacterized. Baculoviruses, particularly granuloviruses, are widely used in biological control.

Here, we report a novel granulovirus isolated from larvae in Mongolia. Morphological analysis showed typical Betabaculovirus. Morphological classification and BLAST analysis of the mitochondrial COI barcode sequence confirmed that the host of the virus was G. augur, thus the viral isolate was designated as Graphiphora augur granulovirus (GrauGV). The GrauGV genome is a 147,179 bp circular dsDNA molecule with 44.05% G + C content, encoding 167 predicted ORFs, including 38 core genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on core genes placed GrauGV within Betabaculovirus as a sister lineage to Agrotis segetum granulovirus. Pairwise distance analysis confirmed that it represents a distinct species.

GrauGV represents a novel Betabaculovirus species with distinct genomic characteristics. This study expands current knowledge of granulovirus diversity and provides a foundation for future studies on baculovirus evolution and biological control applications.