Previous Article | Next Article ![]()
Journal of Virology, May 2003, p. 6082-6086, Vol. 77, No. 10
0022-538X/03/$08.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JVI.77.10.6082-6086.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, H-2101 Gödöllõ, Hungary,1 Dipartimento di Biologia, Difesa e biotecnologie Agro-Forestali, Universita degli Studi della Basilicata, Campus Macchia Romana, I-85100 Potenza, Italy2
Received 6 November 2002/ Accepted 17 February 2003
|
|
|---|
|
|
|---|
The members of the genus of Tombusvirus contain a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome with five open reading frames (ORFs) (19). ORF5 of tombusviruses encodes a 19-kDa protein (p19) which is one of the best-characterized PTGS suppressor protein and is also a pathogenicity determinant (2, 5, 20). p19 blocks systemic, but not local, virus-induced silencing and binds PTGS-generated ds siRNAs in vitro (21, 22). It may act by sequestering the PTGS specificity determinant ds siRNAs, thereby preventing the induction of systemic PTGS signaling. The majority of viral suppressor proteins identified so far are also involved in additional viral functions (e.g., they are required for cell-to-cell trafficking [27], long-distance movement [7, 11], and replication [11]). Recent data suggest that some of these activities may be connected to PTGS suppressor activity (11). However, the silencing suppressor activity of p19 is uncoupled from viral movement and replication functions in N. benthamiana (17, 18, 22). This feature of p19 provides a unique experimental system for investigating plant responses to a wild-type virus versus a p19 mutant virus that is defective only in PTGS suppressor activity. Infection with p19-defective tombusviruses (e.g., Cym19stop) resulted in the development of a typical PTGS-associated recovery phenotype for N. benthamiana (17, 18, 22). The recovered leaves of Cym19stop-infected plants were resistant to infection by another recombinant virus carrying a sequence element homologous to that of the inducing virus (22).
The work presented here addresses the role of systemic PTGS in the development of a recovery phenotype and the counter-defense strategy of the virus-encoded suppressor protein by applying spatial analyses of virus-derived products to Cymbidium Ringspot Tombusvirus (CymRSV)- and Cym19stop-infected N. benthamiana plants.
Ten 4-week-old N. benthamiana plants were infected with in vitro RNA transcripts of CymRSV and Cym19stop as described previously (6). Plants were kept at a constant temperature of 24°C in the growth chamber because PTGS acts more effectively at this temperature than at 21°C (23). Infection of test plants with CymRSV or Cym19stop resulted in the development of severe symptoms on the first systemically infected leaves after 6 to 7 days postinoculation (d.p.i.) on both virus-infected plants (data not shown). As described previously, CymRSV infection led to necrosis of the systemically infected leaves by 8 to 10 d.p.i. which eventually culminated in the death of the plant (6). In contrast, Cym19stop-inoculated plants displayed severe symptoms on first systemically infected leaves, but without detectable necrosis. The subsequently developed leaves of Cym19stop-infected plants showed the development of PTGS-associated recovery phenotype (22). In line with previous observations, Northern blot analyses of RNA samples from the first systemically infected leaves at 7 d.p.i. showed a significant reduction in the level of Cym19stop RNA compared to CymRSV RNA accumulation (Fig. 1B) (22).
![]() View larger version (57K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 1. Accumulation of CymRSV and Cym19stop RNA in the first systemically infected leaves at 7 d.p.i. (A) Schematic representation of CymRSV and Cym19stop genomic RNAs. RdRp, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. (B) Total mRNAs, prepared from systemically infected tissues at 7 d.p.i. or mock-inoculated tissue, were separated under denaturing conditions, blotted, and hybridized with CymRSV-derived probe (upper panel). RNA was extracted from CymRSV (lane 1), Cym19stop (lane 2), and mock-inoculated (lane 3) tissues. Relative gel loadings are shown by ethidium bromide staining of the rRNAs (bottom panel). g, genomic RNA; sg, subgenomic RNA. (C to E) In situ hybridization of 12 µm paraffin-embedded leaf cross sections with digoxigenin-11-UTP-labeled virus-specific RNA probe. Samples were taken from the first systemically infected leaves at 7 d.p.i. (C) Control mock-inoculated tissue. (D) CymRSV-infected tissue. (E) Cym19stop-infected tissue. (F) Magnification (x3) of a vascular bundle and surrounding tissue marked by dotted box in panel E. M, mesophyll cells; V, vascular tissue. Major and minor veins are shown by arrows. Bar in panel C, 400 µm (applies to panels B and E); bar in panel F, 100 µm.
|
To reveal whether Cym19stop accumulates in the infected cells with an efficiency similar to that of the wild type virus, samples taken from the systemically infected leaves were analyzed by in situ hybridization. Consecutive sections of CymRSV- and Cym19stop-infected leaves were applied onto microscopic slides. The slides were hybridized with the same probe detecting the plus strand of virus RNA. To avoid the misinterpretation of the intensity of hybridization signals, the color reaction was stopped at different time points (20, 40, 90, and 180 min) before reaching the saturation level (Fig. 2). These experiments showed that the CymRSV- and Cym19stop-infected cells showed similar signal intensities at all of the investigated time points, indicating that these cells contain close to equal amounts of virus RNA. The observation that accumulation of virus RNA in cells infected by Cym19stop was similar to that of CymRSV suggests that once the cells become infected, both wild-type and mutant viruses replicate with similar efficiencies at the cellular level. This finding is in line with the previous observation that CymRSV and Cym19stop accumulated at similar levels in transfected protoplasts (21). These results indicate that in primary infected cells, PTGS is not able to restrict the replication of the virus regardless of the presence or absence of p19.
![]() View larger version (137K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 2. Analyses of viral RNA accumulation levels in CymRSV- and Cym19stop-infected tissues. In situ hybridization of 12 µm paraffin-embedded leaf cross sections with digoxigenin-11-UTP-labeled virus-specific RNA probe. Samples were taken from the first systemically infected leaves at 7 d.p.i. (A, D, G, and J) Near-consecutive sections of CymRSV-infected tissue. (B, E, H, and K) Near-consecutive sections of Cym19stop-infected tissue. (C, F, I, and L) Near-consecutive sections of mock-inoculated tissue. The color reaction was stopped at 20 (J, K, and L), 40 (G, H, and I), 90 (D, E, and F) and 180 (A, B, and C) min. Arrowheads in panel B indicate the sites of Cym19stop accumulation. Bar in panel A, 250 µm (applies to panels A to L).
|
To analyze whether the accumulation of viral proteins other than p19 is affected in Cym19stop-infected plants, the expression of different viral proteins was defined in both CymRSV- and Cym19stop-infected tissues by in situ immunohistochemistry. Virus particles were purified from infected plants (3) and used to raise antibody (Ab) against the CymRSV coat protein (CP). In situ immunohistochemistry of paraffin sections from systemically infected leaves at 7 d.p.i. was conducted as described previously using diluted (1:5,000) anti-CP Ab (8). The detection of CP by immunohistochemistry showed the same accumulation pattern for both CymRSV and Cym19stop (Fig. 3) as was detected by in situ hybridization (Fig. 1). The CP accumulated uniformly in the whole CymRSV-infected leaves, while in Cym19stop-infected leaves the accumulation of CP was confined to and around the vasculature. As a control, consecutive sections of the same tissue samples were also examined for the accumulation of p19 by immunohistochemistry using diluted (1:2,000) anti-p19 Ab (9). As expected, CymRSV-infected tissue contained p19, while no p19 was detected in Cym19stop-infected tissue (Fig. 3, compare C and D). To extend our observations for a different tissue type, cross sections of stems were examined by immunohistochemistry to detect CP accumulation as an indicator of virus infection. Similar to the case with the leaf sections, the stem sections of CymRSV-infected plants displayed a uniform high level of CP accumulation, while Cym19stop infection displayed CP accumulation limited to and around the vasculature (Fig. 3, compare panels G and H). Although the transverse movement of Cym19stop was decreased in the stem, the virus accumulated to high levels in the vascular tissue and the surrounding cells (Fig. 3H). These results collectively indicated that the viral invasion of plant tissues in Cym19stop-infected plants is restricted to mostly in and around the vascular tissues by PTGS, while in cells which already have been infected the cell-autonomous virus replication was not affected.
![]() View larger version (105K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 3. Accumulation of CP in CymRSV- and Cym19stop-infected tissues at 7 d.p.i. Immunohistochemistry applying anti-CP Ab to cross sections of CymRSV-inoculated (A), Cym19stop-inoculated (B), and mock-inoculated (E) systemic leaves, immunohistochemistry applying anti-p19 Ab to consecutive sections of CymRSV-inoculated (C) and Cym19stop-inoculated (D) systemic leaves, (F) immunohistochemistry applying anti-p19 Ab to mock-inoculated leaf (F), and immunohistochemistry applying anti-CP Ab to stem cross sections of CymRSV-inoculated (G), Cym19stop-inoculated (H), and mock-inoculated (I) plants are shown. Bar in panel A, 400 µm (applies to panels A to I). Insets in (G, H, and I) show magnification (x3) of parts of CymRSV- and Cym19stop-infected and mock-inoculated stem sections.
|
![]() View larger version (171K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 4. Accumulation of MP and p19 in systemically infected leaves at 5 d.p.i. Immunohistochemistry of consecutive cross sections using anti-CP Ab (A) and anti-MP Ab (D) with CymRSV-infected leaves and immunohistochemistry of consecutive cross sections using anti-CP Ab (B) and anti-MP Ab (E) with Cym19stop-infected leaves are shown. The alignment is shown relative to the edge of the virus infection front (dotted lines). Immunohistochemistry of control mock-inoculated sections applying anti-CP Ab (G) and anti-MP Ab (H) is shown. (C, F, and L) Colocalization of p19 with virus RNA and CP. Consecutive sections of CymRSV-infected systemic leaves analyzed by in situ hybridization to detect the accumulation of virus RNA (C) and immunohistochemistry to detect p19 (F) and CP (L) are shown. The alignment is shown relative to the edge of the virus infection front (dotted lines). Bar in panel (A, 200 µm (applies to panels A to L).
|
In summary, this work revealed that in the absence of a potent systemic silencing suppressor, the virus infection-induced systemic PTGS confines accumulation of virus to the veins and the surrounding tissues. Based on the gained data, we suggest that in the absence of systemic PTGS suppressor protein (p19), the systemic signal moves faster than the virus in the infected plant, thereby establishing PTGS in cells ahead of the infection front. When virus enters such cells it will be immediately destroyed by PTGS-mediated RNA degradation. As a result of this mechanism, the spread of the virus is inhibited in the infected leaves; however, once its replication has been established in a cell, the mutant virus accumulates to wild-type levels.
It has been suggested that the ability of a virus to move in the infected tissue depends on its ability to block the PTGS-generated systemic signaling (1, 24). Consistent with this hypothesis, we suggest that CymRSV-encoded PTGS suppressor protein acts by blocking the spread of systemic PTGS-associated mobile signals from cells accommodating active virus replication.
Alternatively, the observed phenomenon might be explained by dual functions of p19. In addition to the PTGS suppression function, p19 may have an additional biochemical function contributing to virus penetration in the infected tissue. However, our recent observation (23) does not support this alternative explanation. It has been demonstrated that at a low temperature (15°C) whereby virus and transgene-induced PTGS are inhibited, both CymRSV and Cym19stop viruses invade the whole leaves of virus-infected plants. These results strongly suggest that Cym19stop possesses all the factors necessary for effective long-distance and cell-to-cell movement and p19 acts solely as a PTGS suppressor protein.
We thank Rick Nelson, Loránt Lakatos Attila Molnár, Dániel Silhavy, and György Szittya for helpful comments.
|
|
|---|
This article has been cited by other articles:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology. For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»