Insect ‐specific RNA virus affects the stylet penetration activity of brown citrus aphid (Aphis citricidus) to facilitate its transmission

An insect-specific virus – Aphis citricidus picornavirus (AcPV) could influence the stylet penetration activity ofAphis citricidus to benefit its transmission. This finding gives us a new aspect on insect-specific viruses in the tropical-level interaction of virus –insect–plant. AbstractSap-sucking insects often transmit plant viruses but also carry insect viruses, which infect insects but not plants. The impact of such insect viruses on insect host biology and ecology is largely unknown. Here, we identified a novel insect-specific virus carried by brown citrus aphid (Aphis citricidus), which we tentatively named Aphis citricidus picornavirus (AcPV). Phylogenetic analysis discovered a monophyletic cluster with AcPV and other unassigned viruses, suggesting that these viruses represent a new family in orderPicornavirales. Systemic infection with AcPV triggered aphid antiviral immunity mediated by RNA interference, resulting in asymptomatic tolerance. Importantly, we found that AcPV was transmitted horizontally by secretion of the salivary gland into the feeding sites of plants. AcPV influenced aphid stylet behavior during feeding and increased the time required for intercellular penetration, thus promoting its transmission among aphids with plants as an intermediate site. The gene expression results suggested that this mechanism was linked with transcription of salivary protein genes and plant defense hormone signaling. Together, our results show that the horizontal trans...

Source: Insect Science - June 26, 2023 Category: Biology Authors: Xin An, Qiaoying Gu, Jing Wang, Tengyu Chang, Wei Zhang, Jin ‐Jun Wang, Jinzhi Niu Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research