RdDM pathway components differentially modulate Tobamovirus symptom development

LEONE, MELISA; ZAVALLO, DIEGO; VENTURUZZI, ANDREA; ASURMENDI, SEBASTIÁN

PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

SPRINGER

Lugar: .; Año: 2020

0167-4412

Key Message The crop yield losses induced by phytoviruses are mainly associated with the symptoms of the disease.DNA modifications as methylation can modulate the information coded by the sequence, process named epigenetics.Viral infection can change the expression patterns of different genes linked to defenses and symptoms. This workrepresents the initial step to expose the role of epigenetic process, in the production of symptoms associated withplants-virus interactions.Abstract Small RNAs (sRNAs) are important molecules for gene regulation in plants and play an essential role in plantpathogeninteractions. Researchers have evaluated the relationship between viral infections as well as the endogenous accumulationof sRNAs and the transcriptional changes associated with the production of symptoms, but little is known abouta possible direct role of epigenetics, mediated by 24-nt sRNAs, in the induction of these symptoms. Using different RNAdirected DNA methylation (RdDM) pathway mutants and a triple demethylase mutant; here we demonstrate that the disruptionof RdDM pathway during viral infection produce alterations in the plant transcriptome and in consequence changes inplant symptoms. This study represents the initial step in exposing that DNA methylation directed by endogenous sRNAs hasan important role, uncoupled to defense, in the production of symptoms associated with plant-virus interactions.