Abstract: Dociostaurus kraussi is the dominant species in Xinjiang rangeland. In 1989, Dociostauras kraussi entomopoxvirus (DkEPV) was first isolated from Dociostaurus kraussi in Manas,Xinjiang Automonous Region. In 1992, it was found in Barkol, Xinjiang, too. The natural epidemic rate of it was 23.3 %. DkEPV was found to infect mainly the fat body. Occlusion bodies are spheroidal with diameter of 2-7μm, very different in size. The virions obtained from the occlusion body are brick-shaped or ovoid, 144- 269 nm in size. The surface of a virion has a mulberry-like structure. DkEPV showed the typical ultraviolet absorption spectrum of nucleic acid. The Tm ofDkEPV-DNA is about 79.0Y3 based on the thermal denaturation curve, and its G+C content is about 17.8 %. Restriction endonuclease analysis reveals that EcoR I, Bgl II and Hind III digestedthe DkEPV-DNA into 29, 21 and 18 DNA fragments, respectively. Taking λDNA Hind III fragments as standard for molecular weight measurement, the molecular weights of these DNA fragments are 155. 45 x 10⁶ 155.69 x 10⁶ and 155.40 x 10^{6 daltons, repectively, and the total molecular weight is 155.5 x 106 daltons.}

Key words: Dociostaurus kraussi entomopoxvirus, DNA, restriction endonuclease analysis