Replication in the phloem is not necessary for efficient vascular transport of tobacco mosaic tobamovirus

Pepper mild mottle virus can infect and traffick within Nicotiana benthamiana plants in non-virion forms

Virions are responsible for the long-distance transport of many viruses, such as Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV). Emerging evidence indicates viral traffic in the form of ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNP), yet comprehensive analysis is scarce. In this study, we inoculated plants with PMMoV-GFP, both with and without the coding sequence for the coat protein (CP). PMMoV-GFP was detected in systemic leaves, even in the absence of the CP, despite the presence of much smaller infection areas. Moreover, using leaf extracts from PMMoV-infected plants to perform a root-irrigation experiment, we confirmed that PMMoV can infect plants through root transmission. Diluting the leaf extracts significantly diminished infectivity, and attempts to compensate for the dilution of other components by adding virions above the original level proved ineffective. Our findings strongly indicate that PMMoV can infect and traffick within plants in non-virion forms. Future studies should aim to identify the specific forms involved.

Effect of Temperature on Wheat Streak Mosaic Disease Development in Winter Wheat

Temperature is one of the key factors that influence viral disease development in plants. In this study, temperature effect on Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) replication and in planta movement was determined using a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged virus in two winter wheat cultivars. Virus-inoculated plants were first incubated at 10, 15, 20, and 25°C for 21 days, followed by 27°C for 14 days; and, in a second experiment, virus-inoculated plants were initially incubated at 27°C for 3 days, followed by 10, 15, 20, and 25°C for 21 days. In the first experiment, WSMV-GFP in susceptible 'Tomahawk' wheat at 10°C was restricted at the point of inoculation whereas, at 15°C, the virus moved systemically, accompanied with mild symptoms, and, at 20 and 25°C, WSMV elicited severe WSMV symptoms. In resistant 'Mace' wheat (PI 651043), WSMV-GFP was restricted at the point of inoculation at 10 and 15°C but, at 20 and 25°C, the virus infected systemically with no visual symptoms. Some plants that were not systemically infected at low temperatures expressed WSMV-GFP in regrowth shoots when later held at 27°C. In the second experiment, Tomahawk plants (100%) expressed systemic WSMV-GFP after 21 days at all four temperature levels; however, systemic WSMV expression in Mace was delayed at the lower temperatures. These results indicate that temperature played an important role in WSMV replication, movement, and symptom development in resistant and susceptible wheat cultivars. This study also demonstrates that suboptimal temperatures impair WSMV movement but the virus rapidly begins to replicate and spread in planta under optimal temperatures.

The rubisco small subunit is involved in tobamovirus movement and Tm-2²-mediated extreme resistance

The multifunctional movement protein (MP) of Tomato mosaic tobamovirus (ToMV) is involved in viral cell-to-cell movement, symptom development, and resistance gene recognition. However, it remains to be elucidated how ToMV MP plays such diverse roles in plants. Here, we show that ToMV MP interacts with the Rubisco small subunit (RbCS) of Nicotiana benthamiana in vitro and in vivo. In susceptible N. benthamiana plants, silencing of NbRbCS enabled ToMV to induce necrosis in inoculated leaves, thus enhancing virus local infectivity. However, the development of systemic viral symptoms was delayed. In transgenic N. benthamiana plants harboring Tobacco mosaic virus resistance-2² (Tm-2²), which mediates extreme resistance to ToMV, silencing of NbRbCS compromised Tm-2²-dependent resistance. ToMV was able to establish efficient local infection but was not able to move systemically. These findings suggest that NbRbCS plays a vital role in tobamovirus movement and plant antiviral defenses.

Analysis of the systemic colonization of cucumber plants by Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus

Systemic movement of Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) in cucumber plants was shown to be from photoassimilate source to sink, thus indicating phloem transport. Nevertheless, CGMMV was not detected by immunocytochemical procedures in the intermediary cell-sieve element complex in inoculated cotyledons, where photoassimilate loading occurs. In stem internodes, CGMMV was first localized in the companion cells of the external phloem and subsequently in all tissues except the medulla, therefore suggesting leakage of the virus from, and reloading into, the transport phloem during systemic movement. In systemically infected sink leaves, CGMMV was simultaneously detected in the xylem and phloem. Interestingly, CGMMV accumulated to high levels in the differentiating tracheids of young leaves implying that the xylem could be involved in the systemic movement of CGMMV. This possibility was tested using plants in which cell death was induced in a portion of the stem by steam treatment. At 24 degrees C, steam treatment effectively prevented the systemic movement of CGMMV, even though viral RNA was detected in washes of the xylem above the steamed internode suggesting that xylem circulation occurred. At 29 degrees C, CGMMV systemically infected steam-treated cucumber plants, indicating that CGMMV can move systemically via the xylem. Xylem transport of CGMMV was, however, less efficient than phloem transport in terms of the time required for systemic infection and the percentage of plants infected.

Tobacco mosaic virus assembly and disassembly: determinants in pathogenicity and resistance

The structural proteins of plant viruses have evolved to self-associate into complex macromolecules that are centrally involved in virus biology. In this review, the structural and biophysical properties of the Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) coat protein (CP) are addressed in relation to its role in host resistance and disease development. TMV CP affects the display of several specific virus and host responses, including cross-protection, systemic virus movement, hypersensitive disease resistance, and symptom development. Studies indicate that the three-dimensional structure of CP is critical to the control of these responses, either directly through specific structural motifs or indirectly via alterations in CP assembly. Thus, both the structure and assembly of the TMV CP function as determinants in the induction of disease and resistance responses.