Abstract
BackgroundViruses in the genus Begomovirus (Family Geminiviridae) include many important economic plant viruses transmitted by whiteflies of the Bemisia tabaci species complex. In general, different begomoviruses may be acquired and transmitted by the same whitefly species with different efficiencies. For example, the species Mediterranean (MED) in this whitefly species complex transmits tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) at a higher efficiency than papaya leaf curl China virus (PaLCuCNV). However, the proteomic responses of whitefly to the infection of different begomoviruses remain largely unknown.MethodsWe used iTRAQ-based proteomics coupled with RT-qPCR to investigate and compare responses of the MED whitefly to the infection of TYLCV and PaLCuCNV.ResultsTotally, 259, 395 and 74 differently expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in the comparisons of TYLCV-infected vs. un-infected, PaLCuCNV-infected vs. un-infected, and TYLCV-infected vs. PaLCuCNV-infected whiteflies, respectively. These proteins appear associated with catabolic process, metabolic process, transport, defense response, cell cycle, and receptor. The comparisons of TYLCV-infected vs. un-infected and PaLCuCNV-infected vs. un-infected shared some similar DEPs, indicating possible involvement of laminin subunit alpha, dystroglycan, integrin alpha-PS2 and cuticle proteins in viral transport as well as the role of putative defense proteins 3 and PITH in anti-viral response. However, 20S proteasome subunits associated with regulation of virus degradation and accumulation were up-regulated in PaLCuCNV-infected but not in TYLCV-infected whiteflies, which may be related to the constraints of PaLCuCNV accumulation in MED.ConclusionsThese findings provide valuable clues for unravelling the roles of some whitefly proteins in begomovirus transmission.
Highlights
Viruses in the genus Begomovirus (Family Geminiviridae) include many important economic plant viruses transmitted by whiteflies of the Bemisia tabaci species complex
Previous studies on the interactions between begomoviruses and whiteflies indicate that PaLCuCNV penetrates through the midgut wall of MED whitefly less efficiently than that of Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) whitefly, resulting in a lower efficiency of PaLCuCNV acquisition and transmission by MED than that by MEAM1 [11]
In view of the circulative journey of begomovirus in whitefly [61], both the poorer ability of PaLCuCNV to bind to the midgut cells in MED whitefly and the more sensitive defense responses in MED whitefly could lead to this difference
Summary
Viruses in the genus Begomovirus (Family Geminiviridae) include many important economic plant viruses transmitted by whiteflies of the Bemisia tabaci species complex. More than 388 species have been described in the genus Begomovirus (Family Geminiviridae) [3], which in general are transmitted by whiteflies in the Bemisia tabaci species complex in a persistent, circulative manner [4]. Once orally acquired by whitefly, they follow the path of head-midgut-haemolymph-primary salivary gland inside the vector [5,6,7]. Two organs including midgut and primary salivary gland have been identified as barriers in the circulative journey of begomovirus in the vector body [9,10,11].
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