The genomes of eight granuloviruses (GVs), have been analyzed for the presence of homologous regions (
hrs) that may act as origins of replication. Thirteen 74–76-bp palindromes within 11
hrs have previously been identified in the Cydia pomonella GV (CpGV) genome and found to replicate in an infection-dependent
DNA replication assay. We report a further palindrome within one of the
hrs, which was found to replicate, bringing the total to 14 palindromes. We also report imperfect palindromes, with similar
13-bp end sequences to the CpGV palindromes, within the Adoxophyes orana GV, Cryptophlebia leucotreta GV (CrleGV), Choristoneura
occidentalis GV and Phthorimaea operculella GV genomes. No
hrs were detected in Agrotis segetum GV, and no additional
hrs or palindromes, other than those published, were detected in the Plutella xylostella GV and Xestia c-nigrum GV genomes.
Several putative
hrs from the GVs were tested for replication in
C. pomonella cells using a CpGV-dependent replication assay. Two CrleGV
hrs were found to replicate at a low level.