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Transcriptome profiling reveals infection strategy of an insect maculavirus

Susumu Katsuma1, Munetaka Kawamoto1, Keisuke Shoji1,2

  • 1Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.

DNA Research : an International Journal for Rapid Publication of Reports on Genes and Genomes
|January 24, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Bombyx mori macula-like virus (BmMLV) establishes persistent infections in silkworm cells through a unique p15 protein and small RNA pathways. These RNA interference (RNAi) and piRNA pathways regulate viral levels, enabling long-term BmMLV persistence.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Insect Pathology

Background:

  • Bombyx mori macula-like virus (BmMLV) is an unclassified insect RNA virus related to plant maculaviruses.
  • BmMLV establishes persistent, non-lethal infections in silkworm cells, but its replication and persistence mechanisms are unknown.
  • A unique BmMLV protein, p15, is highly expressed in infected cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of BmMLV p15 protein in viral infection.
  • To elucidate the small RNA-mediated pathways involved in maintaining BmMLV levels and persistent infections.
  • To understand how this plant virus-like insect virus establishes long-term infections in insect cells.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of p15 protein expression in BmMLV-infected silkworm cells.
  • Knockdown experiments targeting RNA interference (RNAi) and piRNA pathways.
  • Quantification of virus-derived small RNAs (siRNAs and piRNAs) during infection progression.

Main Results:

  • The BmMLV p15 protein is essential for establishing BmMLV infections in silkworm cells.
  • Two distinct small RNA pathways, RNAi and piRNA, are activated during BmMLV infection.
  • Cooperative function of RNAi and piRNA pathways is crucial for silencing BmMLV RNA and supporting normal cell growth.

Conclusions:

  • BmMLV utilizes a unique p15 protein and dual small RNA pathways for persistent infection.
  • The interplay between RNAi and piRNA pathways regulates viral load and host-insect cell interactions.
  • This study proposes a novel mechanism for persistent infection by plant virus-like insect viruses.
Keywords:
maculaviruspersistent infectionpiRNAsiRNAsilkworm

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