Protein modification: A critical modulator in the interaction between geminiviruses and host plants.

Geminiviruses are a large group of single-stranded DNA viruses that infect plants and cause severe agricultural losses worldwide. Given geminiviruses only have small genomes that encode a few proteins, viral factors have to interact with host components to establish an environment suitable for virus infection, whilst the host immunity system recognizes and targets these viral components during infection. Post-translational protein modifications, such as phosphorylation, lipidation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation, acetylation and methylation, have been reported to be critical during the interplay between host plants and geminiviruses.

Danger peptide signaling enhances internalization of a geminivirus symptom determinant in plant cells during infection.

Geminiviruses are DNA viruses that cause severe diseases in diverse species of plants, resulting in considerable agricultural losses worldwide. C4 proteins are a major symptom determinant in several geminiviruses, including Beet severe curly top virus (BSCTV). Here, we uncovered a novel mechanism by which danger peptide signaling enhances the internalization of BSCTV C4 in plant cells.