Targeted disruption of aphid transmission: A vision for the management of crop diseases caused by Luteoviridae members

Authors: Heck, Michelle; BRAULT, VERONIQUE - Université De Strasbourg: Accueil

Submitted to: Current Opinion in Virology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/19/2018
Publication Date: 12/1/2018
Citation: Heck, M.L., Brault, V. 2018. Targeted disruption of aphid transmission: A vision for the management of crop diseases caused by Luteoviridae members. Current Opinion in Virology. 33:24-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coviro.2018.07.007.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coviro.2018.07.007

Interpretive Summary: Plant viruses spread by sap-sucking insects cause severe diseases in agricultural crops around the world. In this paper, we propose new approaches to blocking the spread of these plant viruses by insects. One strategy is to block interactions between insect and viral proteins. Blocking protein interactions between insect and viral proteins has been shown to block the uptake of virus into insect vectors. Another approach that is discussed is to interfere with gut proteases in the insects that transmit plant viruses. Proteases are proteins which break down other proteins. In the insect gut, these proteins normally assist with digestion. Studies have shown that changing the activity of gut proteases in insects reduces virus transmission, possibly by digesting plant and viral proteins necessary for virus uptake into the insect. A third strategy to interfere with virus transmission is by manipulating the plant’s resistance against virus infection. By disrupting the plant genes viruses use to infect, sap-sucking insects may not have access to the virus when feeding on a virus-infected plant. Finally, not all insects within a species are capable of transmitting viruses. Developing ways to target populations of insect vectors that are most likely to spread plant viruses will enable growers to use insecticides in a targeted manner.

Technical Abstract: Viruses in the Luteoviridae cause plant diseases that are notoriously difficult to manage. Referred to as luteovirids, these single stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses are transmitted by aphids in a circulative, non-propagative manner. This review highlights new potential strategies to control luteovirid disease by blocking virus transmission by aphids. These include: 1. Interfering with aphid-virus interactions to inhibit virus acquisition by aphids, 2. Manipulating the host plant to block virus acquisition and inoculation, and 3. Rapid identification of efficient vector populations for the delivery of targeted control strategies. Translation of these methods to the field requires further advances in basic and translational research and the development of new tools to study the tritrophic interactions among plants, luteovirids, and aphids.