Establishment of Cell Lines from Pieris rapae Embryos: Characterization and Susceptibility to Baculoviruses

Many embryonic Pieris rapae (imported cabbageworm) cell lines were established from 24-hr-old P. rapae eggs. Some were characterized by growth curve analysis and by malate and lactate dehydrogenase isozyme comparison with other lepidopteran and mosquito cell lines. Most of the cell lines were screened for susceptibility to P. rapae granulosis virus using the peroxidase antiperoxidase assay and DNA slot blot hybridization with negative results. Inoculation of some cell lines with tissue culture-derived budded virus from Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) had a toxic effect on most of the cells. AcMNPV-inoculated cell lines lysed within 24 h, but there was no evidence of virus replication. The Trichoplusia nis NPV did not replicate in or cause lysis of inoculated cells. o 1988 Academic press, IX.