Polydnaviruses are unique because of their genome composed of multiple circular dsDNA segments.
For sequencing, virus DNA was extracted from virus particles purified from dissected ovaries of Cotesia congregata female wasps. The dsDNA circles of the virus genome were amplified using a rolling circle DNA polymerase (Amersham) and the DNA obtained was broken into 5 kb fragments which were cloned into pcdna2.1 vector. The extremities of about 2000 clones were sequenced (4000 reds).
Genome circle sequences have been deposited in the EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database under accession numbers (to circles 1 to 36 respectively):
AJ632304; AJ632305; AJ632306; AJ632307; AJ632308; AJ632309; AJ632310; AJ632311; AJ632312; AJ632313; AJ632314; AJ632315; AJ632316; AJ632317; AJ632318; AJ632319; AJ632320; AJ632321; AJ632322; AJ632323; AJ632324; AJ632325; AJ632326; AJ632327; AJ632328; AJ632329; AJ632330; AJ632331; AJ632332; AJ632333.

Contacts : Laurence Cattolico (Genoscope) - Jean-Michel Drezen (University of Tours)