Multiple aromatic amino acids are involved in potyvirus movement by forming π-stackings to maintain coat protein accumulation

Phytopathology Research

Le Fang¹  Zhi-Yong Yan¹  Xiao-Jie Xu¹  Xiang-Dong Li²  Chao Geng²  Yan-Ping Tian² 

[1] Laboratory of Plant Virology, College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, 271018, Tai’an, Shandong, People’s Republic of China;Laboratory of Plant Virology, College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, 271018, Tai’an, Shandong, People’s Republic of China;Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Shandong Agricultural University, 271018, Tai’an, Shandong, People’s Republic of China;

关键词: Coat protein;    Movement;    π-stacking;    Potyvirus;    Stability;    Tobacco vein banding mosaic virus;    Watermelon mosaic virus;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s42483-021-00088-9

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

Coat protein (CP) is required for potyviruses to move and establish a systemic infection in plants. π-stackings formed by aromatic residues play critical roles in maintaining protein stability and functions. As we know, many aromatic residues located in the core region of potyvirus CPs are conserved. However, their roles in potyvirus infection remain largely unknown. Here, through analysis of the three-dimensional model of the tobacco vein banding mosaic virus (TVBMV; genus Potyvirus) CP, 16 aromatic residues were predicated to form π-stackings. The results of transient expression experiments demonstrated that deletion of any of these 16 aromatic residues reduced CP accumulation. Infectivity assays showed that deletion of any of these aromatic residues in the TVBMV infectious clone abolished cell-to-cell movement and reduced replication of the virus. Substitution of Y105 and Y147 individually with non-aromatic residues alanine or glycine reduced CP accumulation, virus replication, and abolished the ability of TVBMV to move intercellularly, while substitution of these two residues individually with aromatic residues phenylalanine or tryptophan, had no or little effect on CP accumulation and TVBMV systemic movement and replication. Similar results were obtained from the CP mutants of watermelon mosaic virus (WMV, genus Potyvirus). Taken together, our results demonstrate that multiple aromatic residues in CP are involved in potyvirus movement by forming π-stackings to maintain CP accumulation.

【 授权许可】

CC BY