The cauliflower mosaic virus transmission helper protein P2 modifies directly the probing behavior of the aphid vector Myzus persicae to facilitate transmission.

ABSTRACT: There is growing evidence that plant viruses manipulate their hosts and vectors in ways that increase transmission. However, to date only few viral components underlying these phenomena have been identified. Here we show that cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) protein P2 modifies the feeding behavior of its aphid vector. P2 is necessary for CaMV transmission because it mediates binding of virus particles to the aphid mouthparts. We compared aphid feeding behavior on plants infected with the wild-type CaMV strain Cabb B-JI or with a deletion mutant strain, Cabb B-JIΔP2, which does not produce P2. Only aphids probing Cabb B-JI infected plants doubled the number of test punctures during the first contact with the plant, indicating a role of P2. Membrane feeding assays with purified P2 and virus

SUBMITTER: Verdier M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9934384 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature