Implication of the Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, Collagen Protein in Begomoviruses Acquisition and Transmission

Abstract

Begomoviruses are the largest group of plant viruses transmitted exclusively by the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), in a persistent, circulative, and nonpropagative manner. Begomoviruses in association with B. tabaci cause enormous loss to world agricultural crops. Transmission, retention, and circulation of begomovirus in B. tabaci are facilitated by its interaction with several proteins of the insect and its endosymbionts. However, very few such proteins have been identified from B. tabaci that are involved in this specific interaction. Here, we have performed yeast two-hybrid assay between B. tabaci complementary DNA expression library and the coat protein (CP) of tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) and cotton leaf curl Rajasthan virus (CLCuV). Collagen was the common protein found to be interacting with both of the viruses. The collagen protein was found to be localized in gut layers of B. tabaci. Additionally, pull-down and dot-blot assays confirmed the association of endogenous collagen with ToLCNDV CP. Immunolocalization analysis also showed colocalization of ToLCNDV particles and collagen within insect gut. Finally, B. tabaci fed on anticollagen antibody and exhibited ∼46% reduction in ToLCNDV transmission, suggesting a supportive role for collagen in virus transmission.

Plant Antiviral Immunity Against Geminiviruses and Viral Counter-Defense for Survival

“…The localization of TYLCV-CP in the microvilli of the gut lumen, gut epithelial cells, and midgut of the digestive tract, which implies a mode of virus translocation through insect gut cells (Czosnek et al, 2002). The CPs of various begomoviruses also interact with other gut proteins, such as collagen (Rana et al, 2019), cyclophilin B (Kanakala and Ghanim, 2016), midgut protein (Rana et al, 2016), and peptidoglycan recognition protein (Wang et al, 2016), to facilitate virus transmissibility. However, the interactions of the CP with HSPs serve various purposes in TYLCV transmission (Gorovits and Czosnek, 2017).…”

Proteomic Analyses of Whitefly-Begomovirus Interactions Reveal the Inhibitory Role of Tumorous Imaginal Discs in Viral Retention

“…The heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and vesicle-associated membrane protein–associated protein B (VAPB) show inhibitory roles in virus transmission ( 20 , 21 ), and a peptidoglycan recognition protein BtPGRP acts in whitefly immunity ( 22 ). In contrast, GroEL produced by secondary endosymbionts Hamiltonella or Arsenophonus may protect the virus from degradation in vector hemolymph ( 23 , 24 ), and the midgut protein, cyclophilin B and collagen protein may assist in viral transmission ( 25 – 27 ). Vitellogenin may enable transovarial transmission of virus to the next generation of whitefly ( 28 ).…”

Transcriptome Analysis of Gene Expression Profiles of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus-Infected Whiteflies over Different Viral Acquisition Access Periods

“…Viral transportation plays an important role in virus transmission, and whitefly cellular proteins acts complicatedly in the interplays between whitefly and begomoviruses. Up to now, several whitefly proteins had been uncovered their favors in viral transport [50][51][52][53][54][55]. A midgut protein, cyclophilin B and collagen, has been characterized to act positively in viral transport [50][51][52].…”

“…Up to now, several whitefly proteins had been uncovered their favors in viral transport [50][51][52][53][54][55]. A midgut protein, cyclophilin B and collagen, has been characterized to act positively in viral transport [50][51][52]. On the contrary, heat shock protein 70, knottin-1 and vesicle associated membrane protein-associated protein B have been proved to cause the inhibition in viral transport [53][54][55].…”