Pararetrovirus-crucifer interactions: attack and defence or modus vivendi?

Abstract The compatible infection of plants by viruses usually leads to the development of systemic symptoms. Symptom expression of this kind is generally understood to be a host response that indicates an inability of the host to defend itself from attack. We have been studying compatible interactions between the plant pararetrovirus cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) and its crucifer hosts in order to understand the relationship between viral activity, symptom expression and plant defence. A CaMV protein (P6) appears to play a major role in eliciting symptom expression. This host response leads to a regulation of the viral multiplication cycle that is associated with leaf mosaics. The host regulation of CaMV appears to operate at the transcriptional level through an effect on the 35S promoter, or at the post-transcriptional level by a process that is akin to gene silencing, and can lead to host recovery depending upon the genetic background of the host. The plant apex is a focus for antiviral defence mechanisms, presumably because viral infection of the apical meristem would rapidly compromise the ability of the plant to generate new leaves and flowers for reproduction. The balance of interactions between CaMV and crucifers can provide a sustainable source of host plants to ensure viral propagation and viral exposure allows the host to adapt and develop its repertoire of defence mechanisms.