Providence virus: a new member of the Tetraviridae that infects cultured insect cells

We identified a new member of the Tetraviridae, Providence virus (PrV), persistently infecting a midgut cell line derived from the corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea). Virus purified from these cells also productively infected a H. zea fat body cell line, and a cell line from whole embryos of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua. PrV is thus the first tetravirus shown to replicate in cell culture. PrV virions are isometric particles composed of two structural proteins (60 and 7.4 kDa) that encapsidate both the genomic (6.4 kb) and the subgenomic (2.5 kb) RNAs. The monopartite organization of the PrV genome resembles that of Nudaurelia beta virus and Thosea asigna virus, members of the genus Betatetravirus. The predicted sequence of the PrV structural proteins demonstrates homology to tetraviruses in both genera. The infectivity of PrV for cultured cells uniquely permitted examination of tetravirus RNA and protein synthesis during synchronous infection. The discovery of PrV greatly facilitates studies of tetravirus molecular biology.