title: The polerovirus minor capsid protein determines vector specificity and intestinal tropism in the aphid.
abstract: Aphid transmission of poleroviruses is highly specific, but the viral determinants governing this specificity are unknown. We used a gene exchange strategy between two poleroviruses with different vectors, Beet western yellows virus (BWYV) and Cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus (CABYV), to analyze the role of the major and minor capsid proteins in vector specificity. Virus recombinants obtained by exchanging the sequence of the readthrough domain (RTD) between the two viruses replicated in plant protoplasts and in whole plants. The hybrid readthrough protein of chimeric viruses was incorporated into virions. Aphid transmission experiments using infected plants or purified virions revealed that vector specificity is driven by the nature of the RTD. BWYV and CABYV have specific intestinal sites in the vectors for endocytosis: the midgut for BWYV and both midgut and hindgut for CABYV. Localization of hybrid virions in aphids by transmission electron microscopy revealed that gut tropism is also determined by the viral origin of the RTD.
authors: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Colmar, France. brault@colmar.inra.fr
authors: Véronique
authors: V
authors: Brault
authors: Sophie
authors: S
authors: Périgon
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Reinbold
authors: Monique
authors: M
authors: Erdinger
authors: Danièle
authors: D
authors: Scheidecker
authors: Etienne
authors: E
authors: Herrbach
authors: Ken
authors: K
authors: Richards
authors: Véronique
authors: V
authors: Ziegler-Graff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology*; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology; D017793:Luteovirus / Q000737:chemistry*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins