Abstract
Although citrus leprosis disease has been known for more than a hundred years, one of its causal agents, citrus leprosis virus C2 (CiLV-C2), is poorly characterized. This study described the association of CiLV-C2 movement protein (MP) and capsid protein (p29) with biological membranes. Our findings obtained by computer predictions, chemical treatments after membrane fractionation, and biomolecular fluorescence complementation assays revealed that p29 is peripherally associated, while the MP is integrally bound to the cell membranes. Topological analyses revealed that both the p29 and MP expose their N- and C-termini to the cell cytoplasmic compartment. The implications of these results in the intracellular movement of the virus were discussed.
Highlights
Citrus leprosis disease, caused by viruses belonging to the genera Cilevirus and Dichorhavirus, has economic importance in the Americas, especially in citrus groves in Brazil.The infection is characterized by the formation of chlorotic and necrotic circular localized lesions in citrus leaves, fruits, and stems [1].Citrus leprosis virus C (CiLV-C) is a member of genus Cilevirus, family Kitaviridae, and a prevalent citrus leprosis-associated virus in South and Central America [1], with the exception of Colombia
CiLV-C was reported in that country more than 10 years ago, this virus is currently rarely found in Colombian citrus orchards, where it was replaced by citrus leprosis virus C2 (CiLV-C2) [2,3,4,5]
We included the deduced amino acid sequences of the chrysanthemum stem necrosis orthotospovirus (CSNV) NSm and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) 30K movement protein (MP), which have been shown to be peripheral membrane proteins [18,19], as well as for the leader peptidase (Lep), CiLV-C MP and green fluorescent protein (GFP), two integral membrane, and one non-membrane-associated proteins, respectively [7,19,24]. Highlighted, they revealed the presence of three hydrophobic regions (HR) for CiLV-C2 MP
Summary
Citrus leprosis disease, caused by viruses belonging to the genera Cilevirus and Dichorhavirus, has economic importance in the Americas, especially in citrus groves in Brazil. Despite the fact that recent studies have clarified some functional aspects for the CiLV-C proteins, no similar information is available for other accepted or tentative cileviruses, as passion fruit green spot virus (PfGSV). This group of viruses has been rather poorly investigated and generating new data about other species of agronomic importance, such as CiLV-C2, can represent an important advance in understanding the citrus leprosis pathosystem. Topological analyses revealed that p29 and MP expose their N- and C-termini to the cell cytoplasmic compartment These results allowed us to propose a topological model of the association of CiLV-C2 p29 and MP with cell membranes
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