Identification of Pns12 as the second silencing suppressor of Rice gall dwarf virus

Rice Stripe Mosaic Virus-Encoded P4 Is a Weak Suppressor of Viral RNA Silencing and Is Required for Disease Symptom Development

Viral suppressors of RNA silencing (VSRs) are a cluster of viral proteins that have evolved to counteract eukaryotic antiviral RNA silencing pathways, thereby contributing to viral pathogenicity. In this study, we revealed that the matrix protein P4 encoded by rice stripe mosaic virus (RSMV), which is an emerging cytoplasmic rhabdovirus, is a weak RNA silencing suppressor. By conducting yeast two-hybrid, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and subcellular colocalization assays, we proved that P4 interacts with the rice endogenous suppressor of gene silencing 3 (OsSGS3). We also determined that P4 overexpression has no effect on OsSGS3 transcription. However, P4 can promote the degradation of OsSGS3 via ubiquitination and autophagy. Additionally, a potato virus X-based expression system was used to confirm that P4 enhances the development of mosaic symptoms on Nicotiana benthamiana leaves by promoting hydrogen peroxide accumulation but not cell death. To verify whether P4 is a pathogenicity factor in host plants, we generated transgenic P4-overexpressing rice plants that exhibited disease-related developmental defects including decreased plant height and excessive tillering. Our data suggest that RSMV-encoded P4 serves as a weak VSR that inhibits antiviral RNA silencing by targeting OsSGS3.

Co-infection with a wheat rhabdovirus causes a reduction in Mal de Río Cuarto virus titer in its planthopper vector

Mal de Río Cuarto virus (MRCV, Fijivirus, Reoviridae) causes one of the most important diseases in maize (Zea mays L.) in Argentina and has been detected in mixed infections with a rhabdovirus closely related to Maize yellow striate virus. In nature both viruses are able to infect maize and several grasses including wheat, and are transmitted in a persistent propagative manner by Delphacodes kuscheli Fennah (Hemiptera: Delphacidae). This work describes the interactions between MRCV and rhabdovirus within their natural vector and the consequences of such co-infection regarding virus transmission and symptom expression. First- and third-instar D. kuscheli nymphs were fed on MRCV-infected wheat plants or MRCV-rhabdovirus-infected oat plants, and two latency periods were considered. Transmission efficiency and viral load of MRCV-transmitting and non-transmitting planthoppers were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis (RTqPCR). Vector transmission efficiency was related to treatments (life stages at acquisition and latency periods). Nevertheless, no correlation between transmission efficiency and type of inoculum used to infect insects with MRCV was found. Treatment by third-instar nymphs 17 days after Acquisition Access Period was the most efficient for MRCV transmission, regardless of the type of inoculum. Plants co-infected with MRCV and rhabdovirus showed the typical MRCV symptoms earlier than plants singly infected with MRCV. The transmitting planthoppers showed significantly higher MRCV titers than non-transmitting insects fed on single or mixed inocula, confirming that successful MRCV transmission is positively associated with viral accumulation in the insect. Furthermore, MRCV viral titers were higher in transmitting planthoppers that acquired this virus from a single inoculum than in those that acquired the virus from a mixed inoculum, indicating that the presence of the rhabdovirus somehow impaired MRCV replication and/or acquisition. This is the first study about interactions between MRCV and a rhabdovirus closely related to Maize yellow striate virus in this insect vector (D. kuscheli), and contributes to a better understanding of planthopper-virus interactions and their epidemiological implications.

Small interfering RNA pathway modulates persistent infection of a plant virus in its insect vector

Plant reoviruses, rhabdoviruses, tospoviruses, and tenuiviruses are transmitted by insect vectors in a persistent-propagative manner. How such persistent infection of plant viruses in insect vectors is established and maintained remains poorly understood. In this study, we used rice gall dwarf virus (RGDV), a plant reovirus, and its main vector leafhopper Recilia dorsalis as a virus-insect system to determine how the small interference (siRNA) pathway modulates persistent infection of a plant virus in its insect vector. We showed that a conserved siRNA antiviral response was triggered by the persistent replication of RGDV in cultured leafhopper cells and in intact insects, by appearance of virus-specific siRNAs, primarily 21-nt long, and the increased expression of siRNA pathway core components Dicer-2 and Argonaute-2. Silencing of Dicer-2 using RNA interference strongly suppressed production of virus-specific siRNAs, promoted viral accumulation, and caused cytopathological changes in vitro and in vivo. When the viral accumulation level rose above a certain threshold of viral genome copy (1.32 × 10(14) copies/μg insect RNA), the infection of the leafhopper by RGDV was lethal rather than persistent. Taken together, our results revealed a new finding that the siRNA pathway in insect vector can modulate persistent infection of plant viruses.

Rice grassy stunt virus nonstructural protein p5 serves as a viral suppressor of RNA silencing and interacts with nonstructural protein p3

Rice grassy stunt virus (RGSV), a member of the genus Tenuivirus, causes serious rice disease in Southeast Asian countries. In this study, a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based transient expression assay was conducted to show that p5, encoded on RNA5 in the viral sense, is a viral suppressor of RNA silencing (VSR). Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) between p5 and all RGSV proteins except pC1 and pC2 were investigated using Gal4-based yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) experiments. The results demonstrated that p5 interacts with itself and with p3 encoded on RNA3 in the viral sense. p5-p5 and p5-p3 interactions were detected by bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assay, and the p5-p3 interaction was confirmed by subcellular co-localization and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays. Using the Y2H system, we demonstrated that the p5-p3 interaction requires both the N-terminal (amino acid residues 1 to 99) and C-terminal (amino acid residues 94 to 191) domains of p5. In addition, either p5 or p3 could enhance the pathogenicity of potato virus X (PVX) in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. A much more significant enhancement of PVX pathogenicity and accumulation was observed when p5 and p3 were expressed together. Our data also showed that RGSV p3 does not function as a VSR, and it had no effect on the VSR activity of p5 or the subcellular localization pattern of p5 in plant cells from Nicotiana benthamiana.

The role and clinical implications of microRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is common and one of the most aggressive of all human cancers. Recent studies have indicated that miRNAs, a class of small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally, directly contribute to HCC by targeting many critical regulatory genes. Several miRNAs are involved in hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus replication and virus-induced changes, whereas others participate in multiple intracellular signaling pathways that modulate apoptosis, cell cycle checkpoints, and growth-factor-stimulated responses. When disturbed, these pathways appear to result in malignant transformation and ultimately HCC development. Recently, miRNAs circulating in the blood have acted as possible early diagnostic markers for HCC. These miRNA also could serve as indicators with respect to drug efficacy and be prognostic in HCC patients. Such biomarkers would assist stratification of HCC patients and help direct personalized therapy. Here, we summarize recent advances regarding the role of miRNAs in HCC development and progression. Our expectation is that these and ongoing studies will contribute to the understanding of the multiple roles of these small noncoding RNAs in liver tumorigenesis.