Articles of Significant Interest in This Issue

Abstract

Sweet potato virus disease (SPVD) caused by synergistic infection of Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV) and Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV) leads to dramatic yield loss. Wang et al. (e00107-21) report in vitro identification and in vivo confirmation of inhibitors targeting the SPCSV RNase III (CSR3), an RNA silencing suppressor. As a result, five compounds belonging to two structural classes which inhibited CSR3 activity and reduced viral accumulation in plants were identified. These results provide the foundation for developing antiviral agents targeting viral RNase III to provide new strategies for controlling plant viruses.