Potential contribution of enveloped virions to long-distance movement of plant rhabdoviruses
5 affiliations
- 1State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University
- 2Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University
- 3Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Biology and Ecological Regulation of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University
- 4Guangzhou National Laboratory
- 5Analysis Center of Agrobiology and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University
Abstract
Current models of plant virus movement are based largely on extensive studies of nonenveloped viruses, particularly those possessing positive-sense RNA genomes. In contrast, how enveloped, negative-sense RNA plant viruses access and transit through vascular tissues remains largely unexplored. Here, we aim to address this question using two rhabdovirus–host pathosystems: rice stripe mosaic virus (RSMV) infection of rice and tomato yellow mottle-associated virus (TYMaV) infection of Nicotiana benthamiana . Immunofluorescence staining of RSMV-infected rice tissues revealed that viral antigens were predominantly localized to vascular tissues, including both xylem and phloem. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that mature enveloped virions accumulated abundantly within xylem parenchyma cells. RSMV particles were also observed in two vascular conduits: xylem vessel lumens and sieve elements. Moreover, major viral structural proteins and morphologically intact virions were detected in xylem sap. Similarly, enveloped TYMaV virions were detected in both xylem vessel elements and phloem sieve elements of infected N. benthamiana plants. Furthermore, reverse genetics analyses demonstrated that a TYMaV matrix gene deletion mutant deficient in virion morphogenesis retained wild-type levels of cell-to-cell movement but was completely defective in long-distance movement. Together, these results indicate that intact rhabdovirus virions constitute an important mobile entity for vascular long-distance trafficking, with both phloem and xylem potentially contributing to systemic movement.
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BibTeX
@article{yang2026potential,
title = {{Potential contribution of enveloped virions to long-distance movement of plant rhabdoviruses}},
author = {Guowei Yang and Yinlu Deng and Qian Liu and Wenye Lin and Jingrui Wang and Li Xie and Zhenghe Li},
journal = {Frontiers in Microbiology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fmicb.2026.1994490},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1994490/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Potential contribution of enveloped virions to long-distance movement of plant rhabdoviruses
AU - Guowei Yang
AU - Yinlu Deng
AU - Qian Liu
AU - Wenye Lin
AU - Jingrui Wang
AU - Li Xie
AU - Zhenghe Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
JO - Frontiers in Microbiology
DO - 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1994490
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1994490/full
AB - Current models of plant virus movement are based largely on extensive studies of nonenveloped viruses, particularly those possessing positive-sense RNA genomes. In contrast, how enveloped, negative-sense RNA plant viruses access and transit through vascular tissues remains largely unexplored. Here, we aim to address this question using two rhabdovirus–host pathosystems: rice stripe mosaic virus (RSMV) infection of rice and tomato yellow mottle-associated virus (TYMaV) infection of Nicotiana benthamiana . Immunofluorescence staining of RSMV-infected rice tissues revealed that viral antigens were predominantly localized to vascular tissues, including both xylem and phloem. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that mature enveloped virions accumulated abundantly within xylem parenchyma cells. RSMV particles were also observed in two vascular conduits: xylem vessel lumens and sieve elements. Moreover, major viral structural proteins and morphologically intact virions were detected in xylem sap. Similarly, enveloped TYMaV virions were detected in both xylem vessel elements and phloem sieve elements of infected N. benthamiana plants. Furthermore, reverse genetics analyses demonstrated that a TYMaV matrix gene deletion mutant deficient in virion morphogenesis retained wild-type levels of cell-to-cell movement but was completely defective in long-distance movement. Together, these results indicate that intact rhabdovirus virions constitute an important mobile entity for vascular long-distance trafficking, with both phloem and xylem potentially contributing to systemic movement.
SN - 1664-302X
ER -