Abstract
Plant viruses rely on both host plant and vectors for a successful infection. Essentially to simplify studies, transmission has been considered for decades as an interaction between two partners, virus and vector. This interaction has gained a third partner, the host plant, to establish a tripartite pathosystem in which the players can react with each other directly or indirectly through changes induced in/by the third partner. For instance, viruses can alter the plant metabolism or plant immune defence pathways to modify vector’s attraction, settling or feeding, in a way that can be conducive for virus propagation. Such changes in the plant physiology can also become favourable to the vector, establishing a mutualistic relationship. This review focuses on the recent molecular data on the interplay between viral and plant factors that provide some important clues to understand how viruses manipulate both the host plants and vectors in order to improve transmission conditions and thus ensuring their survival.
Highlights
The vast majority of plant viruses that are economically important in agriculture are transmitted by vectors [1]
Persistent viruses have to be taken up through the digestive tract and enter the insect body where they traffic in the haemolymph to reach the salivary glands from which they are injected with the saliva into new host plants
This review summarises the latest findings on the viral gene products of two non-persistently and three persistently transmitted viruses belonging to some of the most economically important viruses pathogenic to crops
Summary
The vast majority of plant viruses that are economically important in agriculture are transmitted by vectors [1]. The manipulative effects of plant viruses on their vectors operate at several levels: modified perception of visual and volatile sensory cues, feeding behaviour (depending on the nutritious quality of the plant) and fecundity [14] These virus-induced changes occur indirectly through the host plant and play a role in most vectored virus transmissions. Viruses 2020, 12, 263 modifications occur within the vector itself after it has acquired virus [13] This is the case for persistently transmitted plant viruses that replicate within insect vectors [15]. Recent interest has focused on a limited number of pathosystems for which the molecular mechanisms set up in infected plants by specific viral proteins have been studied They induce changes that are beneficial or detrimental to insects and as a consequence, to the virus itself when dissemination to other plants and survival is considered. Some lines of future research are suggested to further unravel this exciting field of interactions between viruses, plant hosts and vectors
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
