A novel ambigrammatic mycovirus, PsV5, works hand in glove with wheat stripe rust fungus to facilitate infection

Yanhui Zhang; Xiaofei Liang; Mengxin Zhao; Tuo Qi; Hualong Guo; Jing Zhao; Jie Zhao; Gangming Zhan; Zhensheng Kang; Li Zheng

doi:10.1016/j.xplc.2022.100505

A novel ambigrammatic mycovirus, PsV5, works hand in glove with wheat stripe rust fungus to facilitate infection

Plant Commun. 2023 May 8;4(3):100505. doi: 10.1016/j.xplc.2022.100505. Epub 2022 Dec 15.

Authors

Yanhui Zhang¹, Xiaofei Liang¹, Mengxin Zhao¹, Tuo Qi², Hualong Guo¹, Jing Zhao¹, Jie Zhao¹, Gangming Zhan¹, Zhensheng Kang³, Li Zheng⁴

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Key Laboratory of Major Crop Diseases & Collaborative Innovation Center for Hybrid Rice in Yangtze River Basin, Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University at Wenjiang, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China. Electronic address: kangzs@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
⁴ Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya 572025, China; Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education and School of Plant Protection, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan 570228, China. Electronic address: zhenglihappy0617@126.com.

Abstract

Here we describe a novel narnavirus, Puccinia striiformis virus 5 (PsV5), from the devastating wheat stripe rust fungus P. striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). The genome of PsV5 contains two predicted open reading frames (ORFs) that largely overlap on reverse strands: an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and a reverse-frame ORF (rORF) with unknown function. Protein translations of both ORFs were demonstrated by immune technology. Transgenic wheat lines overexpressing PsV5 (RdRp-rORF), RdRp ORF, or rORF were more susceptible to Pst infection, whereas PsV5-RNA interference (RNAi) lines were more resistant. Overexpression of PsV5 (RdRp-rORF), RdRp ORF, or rORF in Fusarium graminearum also boosted fungal virulence. We thus report a novel ambigrammatic mycovirus that promotes the virulence of its fungal host. The results are a significant addition to our understanding of virosphere diversity and offer insights for sustainable wheat rust disease control.

Keywords: Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici; ambigrammatic; mycovirus; virulence-enhancing.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Basidiomycota* / genetics
Fungal Viruses* / genetics
Puccinia
Triticum / microbiology

Supplementary concepts

Puccinia striiformis