Virus-virus interactions alter the mechanical transmissibility and host range of begomoviruses

Abstract

IntroductionBegomoviruses are mainly transmitted by whiteflies. However, a few begomoviruses can be transmitted mechanically. Mechanical transmissibility affects begomoviral distribution in the field.Materials and methodsIn this study, two mechanically transmissible begomoviruses, tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus-oriental melon isolate (ToLCNDV-OM) and tomato yellow leaf curl Thailand virus (TYLCTHV), and two nonmechanically transmissible begomoviruses, ToLCNDV-cucumber isolate (ToLCNDV-CB) and tomato leaf curl Taiwan virus (ToLCTV), were used to study the effects of virus-virus interactions on mechanical transmissibility.ResultsNicotiana benthamiana and host plants were coinoculated through mechanical transmission with inoculants derived from plants that were mix-infected or inoculants derived from individually infected plants, and the inoculants were mixed immediately before inoculation. Our results showed that ToLCNDV-CB was mechanically transmitted with ToLCNDV-OM to N. benthamiana, cucumber, and oriental melon, whereas ToLCTV was mechanically transmitted with TYLCTHV to N. benthamiana and tomato. For crossing host range inoculation, ToLCNDV-CB was mechanically transmitted with TYLCTHV to N. benthamiana and its nonhost tomato, while ToLCTV with ToLCNDV-OM was transmitted to N. benthamiana and its nonhost oriental melon. For sequential inoculation, ToLCNDV-CB and ToLCTV were mechanically transmitted to N. benthamiana plants that were either preinfected with ToLCNDV-OM or TYLCTHV. The results of fluorescence resonance energy transfer analyses showed that the nuclear shuttle protein of ToLCNDV-CB (CBNSP) and the coat protein of ToLCTV (TWCP) localized alone to the nucleus. When coexpressed with movement proteins of ToLCNDV-OM or TYLCTHV, CBNSP and TWCP relocalized to both the nucleus and the cellular periphery and interacted with movement proteins.DiscussionOur findings indicated that virus-virus interactions in mixed infection circumstances could complement the mechanical transmissibility of nonmechanically transmissible begomoviruses and alter their host range. These findings provide new insight into complex virus-virus interactions and will help us to understand the begomoviral distribution and to reevaluate disease management strategies in the field.

Begomovirus Infection Patterns in Melons of Indonesian Lowlands: Growth Trends Among Ecosystems and Genotypes

“…Because of this global distribution of its vectors, begomovirus has become a major threat to vegetable crops in tropical and semitropical regions (Lapidot and Friedmann 2002;Mansoor et al 2003;Rojas et al 2005;Seal et al 2006;Varma and Malathi 2003). Especially for melon, several begomovirus species that has been reported to infect this plant are Tomato yellow leaf curl Kanchanaburi virus (Kikkawa et al 2023), Tomato leaf curl Palampur virus (Shahid 2023), Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (Chang et al 2023), and Cotton leaf curl Gezira virus (Gambley et al 2020).…”

Molecular characterization of a begomovirus associated with leaf crumpling and severe mosaic disease of bell pepper

“…Members of this genus are transmitted by the insect vector whiteflies, which belong to the Aleyrodidae family (Nigam et al 2023). According to some reports, begomoviruses are transmitted through seeds (Chang et al 2023;Fortes et al 2023;Kil et al 2020). The emergence of new begomoviruses is posing one of the most serious threats to global food production.…”