Cauliflower Mosaic Virus - Molecular Mechanisms of CaMV Transmission By Its Vector

Molecular Mechanisms of CaMV Transmission By Its Vector

The virus is acquired from an infected host during feeding by the aphid vector. To occur, a transmissible complex is composed of virions and protein P2 located in the vector’s stylets. P2 N-terminal domain recognize a protein receptor located at the tip of the stylet and P2 C-terminal binds to the P3-decorated virions (Hoh et al., 2010).

Acquisition mode by the vector is controlled by the tissue and intracellular-specif localization of P2. This protein is only found in epidermis and parenchyma cells. Moreover, in this cells, P2 localized in a single viral electron-lucent inclusion bodies (ELIB) (Martinière et al., 2009a). In host cell, viral protein P2 and P3 are first produced in numerous viral factories (electron-dense inclusion bodies), and are later exported co-localize with microtubules, before concentring in ELIB. CaMV specifically uses the microtubules cytosquelette to form the transmissible body and thus enable vector transmission (Martinière et al., 2009b).