Analysis of the molecular mechanism by which ROS regulate the function of a plant virus protein

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K15229
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Plant protection science
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Hyodo Kiwamu 岡山大学, 資源植物科学研究所, 助教 (80757881)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 植物ウイルス / ROS / RACK1 / 翻訳後修飾

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Red clover necrotic mosaic virus (RCNMV), a plant positive-strand RNA [(+)RNA] virus, hijacks the host's reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating machinery during infection. However, it remains largely unknown how ROS promote viral replication. Here, we found that RCNMV replication was sensitive to an O2- scavenger but insensitive to an H2O2 scavenger. To understand the molecular mechanism by which ROS regulate viral replication, we tried to identify post-translational modification, including protein oxidation, of viral replication protein induced by ROS. However, unfortunately, we could not identify such post-translational protein modification. We also provide evidence suggesting that RCNMV hijacks RACK1, a host scaffold protein, to facilitate ROS accumulation induced by a viral replication protein and viral RNA replication.

Free Research Field

植物ウイルス学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

植物ウイルスは農作物等に感染し，世界規模で農業経済上甚大な被害を与える病原体である．しかしながら，現在のところ有効な植物ウイルス防除法は樹立されていない．植物ウイルス感染の成否は，宿主因子と呼ばれる様々な宿主細胞由来の分子をウイルスが利用できるかどうかにかかっている．従って，植物－ウイルス間相互作用を分子レベルで解き明かすことは，その感染戦略を逆手に取ったウイルス防除法の基盤確立に貢献する．本研究では，活性酸素種（ROS）に特に着目して，植物－ウイルス間相互作用におけるROSの分子メカニズムやその発生機構に関して研究を行なった．