Identification of host genes involved in geminivirus infection using a reverse genetics approach.

PLoS One

Málaga-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Departamento Biología Celular, Genética y Fisiología, Universidad de Málaga, Campus Teatinos, Málaga, Spain.

Published: December 2011

Geminiviruses, like all viruses, rely on the host cell machinery to establish a successful infection, but the identity and function of these required host proteins remain largely unknown. Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus (TYLCSV), a monopartite geminivirus, is one of the causal agents of the devastating Tomato yellow leaf curl disease (TYLCD). The transgenic 2IRGFP N. benthamiana plants, used in combination with Virus Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS), entail an important potential as a tool in reverse genetics studies to identify host factors involved in TYLCSV infection. Using these transgenic plants, we have made an accurate description of the evolution of TYLCSV replication in the host in both space and time. Moreover, we have determined that TYLCSV and Tobacco rattle virus (TRV) do not dramatically influence each other when co-infected in N. benthamiana, what makes the use of TRV-induced gene silencing in combination with TYLCSV for reverse genetic studies feasible. Finally, we have tested the effect of silencing candidate host genes on TYLCSV infection, identifying eighteen genes potentially involved in this process, fifteen of which had never been implicated in geminiviral infections before. Seven of the analyzed genes have a potential anti-viral effect, whereas the expression of the other eleven is required for a full infection. Interestingly, almost half of the genes altering TYLCSV infection play a role in postranslational modifications. Therefore, our results provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying geminivirus infections, and at the same time reveal the 2IRGFP/VIGS system as a powerful tool for functional reverse genetics studies.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3144222PMC
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0022383PLOS

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

reverse genetics
12
tylcsv infection
12
host genes
8
genes involved
8
tomato yellow
8
yellow leaf
8
leaf curl
8
gene silencing
8
genetics studies
8
tylcsv
7

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!