Aphid effectors suppress plant immunity via recruiting defense proteins to processing bodies.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 40668932.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.adv1447 and PMC identifier 12266115.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Aphids are small insects that have developed specialized mouthparts and effector proteins to establish long-term relationships with plants. The peach-potato aphid <i>Myzus persicae</i> is a generalist, feeding on many plant species and capable of transmitting numerous pathogens. This study reveals how host-responsive cathepsin B (CathB) proteins in the oral secretions of <i>M. persicae</i> facilitate aphid survival by modulating plant immune responses. Host-responsive CathB proteins localize to plant processing bodies (p-bodies), cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein granules involved in messenger RNA storage or decay. Upon localization, these CathB proteins recruit key immune regulators EDS1, PAD4, and ADR1 to these bodies, suppressing plant defenses. A plant protein, Acd28.9 (Hsp20 family), counteracts this CathB activity and contributes to plant resistance to aphids. These findings highlight an unexpected role for p-bodies in plant immunity and uncover a plant resistance mechanism to aphid infestation.
Medical subject headings
- Aphids
- Plant Immunity
- Plant Proteins
- Insect Proteins