Biological characterization of Euscelidius variegatus iflavirus 1

AbstractVirus-based biocontrol technologies represent sustainable alternatives to pesticides and insecticides. Phytoplasmas are prokaryotic plant pathogens causing severe losses to crops worldwide. Novel approaches are needed since insecticides against their insect vectors and rogueing of infected plants are the only available strategies to counteract phytoplasma diseases. A new iflavirus, named EVV-1, has been described in the leafhopper phytoplasma vector Euscelidius variegatus, raising the potential to use virus-based application strategies against phytoplasma disease. Here transmission routes of EVV-1 are characterized, and localization within the host reveals the mechanism of insect tolerance to virus infection. Both vertical and horizontal transmission of EVV-1 occur and vertical transmission was more efficient. The virus is systemic and occurs in all life-stages, with the highest loads measured in ovaries and first to third instar nymphs. The basic knowledge gained here on the biology of the virus is crucial for possible future application of iflaviruses as biocontrol agents.

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Biological characterization of Euscelidius variegatus iflavirus 1

Journal of Invertebrate Pathology ◽

10.1016/j.jip.2020.107370 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 173 ◽

pp. 107370 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sara Ottati ◽

Alberto Persico ◽

Marika Rossi ◽

Domenico Bosco ◽

Marta Vallino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Characterization ◽

Euscelidius Variegatus

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Intronic hammerhead ribozymes in mRNA biogenesis

Biological Chemistry ◽

10.1515/hsz-2012-0223 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 393 (11) ◽

pp. 1317-1326 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Inmaculada García-Robles ◽

Jesús Sánchez-Navarro ◽

Marcos de la Peña

Keyword(s):

Plant Pathogens ◽

Hammerhead Ribozyme ◽

Bioinformatic Analysis ◽

Catalytic Rna ◽

Splicing Regulation ◽

Biological Characterization ◽

Hammerhead Ribozymes ◽

Endonucleolytic Cleavage ◽

New Form

Abstract Small self-cleaving ribozymes are a group of natural RNAs that are capable of catalyzing their own and sequence-specific endonucleolytic cleavage. One of the most studied members is the hammerhead ribozyme (HHR), a catalytic RNA originally discovered in subviral plant pathogens but recently shown to reside in a myriad of genomes along the tree of life. In eukaryotes, most of the genomic HHRs seem to be related to short interspersed retroelements, with the main exception of a group of strikingly conserved ribozymes found in the genomes of all amniotes (reptiles, birds and mammals). These amniota HHRs occur in the introns of a few specific genes, and clearly point to a preserved biological role during pre-mRNA biosynthesis. More specifically, bioinformatic analysis suggests that these intronic ribozymes could offer a new form of splicing regulation of the mRNA of higher vertebrates. We review here the latest advances in the discovery and biological characterization of intronic HHRs of vertebrates, including new conserved examples in the genomes of the primitive turtle and coelacanth fish.

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