Physical Characteristics of the Leaves and Latex of Papaya Plants Infected with the Papaya meleira Virus.
Sticky disease, which is caused by Papaya meleira virus (PMeV), is a significant papaya disease in Brazil and Mexico, where it has caused severe economic losses, and it seems to have spread to Central and South America. Studies assessing the pathogen-host interaction at the nano-histological level are needed to better understand the mechanisms that underlie natural resistance. In this study, the topography and mechanical properties of the leaf midribs and latex of healthy and PMeV-infected papaya plants were observed by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Healthy plants displayed a smooth surface with practically no roughness of the leaf midribs and the latex and a higher adhesion force than infected plants. PMeV promotes changes in the leaf midribs and latex, making them more fragile and susceptible to breakage. These changes, which are associated with increased water uptake and internal pressure in laticifers, causes cell disruption that leads to spontaneous exudation of the latex and facilitates the spread of PMeV to other laticifers. These results provide new insights into the papaya-PMeV interaction that could be helpful for controlling papaya sticky disease.
Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Marechal Campos 1468, Vitória, Espírito Santo 29040-090, Brazil. anuar.magana@cicy.mx.|Laboratorio GeMBio, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C., Calle 43 # 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida, Yucatán 97200, Mexico. anuar.magana@cicy.mx.
Anuar
A
Magaña-Álvarez
Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Marechal Campos 1468, Vitória, Espírito Santo 29040-090, Brazil. jeanvencioneck@gmail.com.
Jean Carlos
JC
Vencioneck Dutra
Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Marechal Campos 1468, Vitória, Espírito Santo 29040-090, Brazil. tarcio_carneiro@hotmail.com.
Tarcio
T
Carneiro
Laboratorio GeMBio, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C., Calle 43 # 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida, Yucatán 97200, Mexico. daisypb@cicy.mx.
Daisy
D
Pérez-Brito
Laboratorio GeMBio, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C., Calle 43 # 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida, Yucatán 97200, Mexico. rtapia@cicy.mx.
Raúl
R
Tapia-Tussell
Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Marechal Campos 1468, Vitória, Espírito Santo 29040-090, Brazil. ventura@incaper.es.gov.br.|Instituto Capixaba de Pesquisa, Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural, R. Afonso Sarlo 160, Vitória, Espírito Santo 29052-010, Brazil. ventura@incaper.es.gov.br.
Jose Aires
JA
Ventura
Unidad de Tecnología de Alimentos, Centro de Investigación y Asistencia Tecnológica y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco A.C., Ave. Normalistas # 800, Col. Colinas de la Norma, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44270, Mexico. inohiguera@gmail.com.
Inocencio
I
Higuera-Ciapara
Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Marechal Campos 1468, Vitória, Espírito Santo 29040-090, Brazil. patricia.fernandes@ufes.br.
Patricia Machado Bueno
PM
Fernandes
Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Marechal Campos 1468, Vitória, Espírito Santo 29040-090, Brazil. alberto.fernandes@ufes.br.
Antonio Alberto Ribeiro
AA
Fernandes
D029441:Carica / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D007840:Latex / Q000032:analysis*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology*; D010942:Plant Viruses / Q000502:physiology*
D007840:Latex
Papaya meleira virus; latex; laticifer; leaf midribs; papaya sticky disease; pathogen-host interaction