Application of gene probes to detect a penaeid shrimp baculovirus in fixed tissue using in situ hybridization

DNA inserts obtained from a cloning of the penaeid shrimp baculovirus, BP, were non-radioactively labelled with digoxigenin for use as gene probes to detect BP in paraffin-embedded, formalin/alcohol-fixed tissue sections using in situ hybridization. Results show that the probes detect BP in various species of shrimp from different geographical areas. The probes demonstrate no reaction to BP-negative tissue sections. The probes also demonstrate no reaction to tissue infected with other penaeid shrimp viruses.