Divergent Symptoms Caused by Geminivirus-Encoded C4 Proteins Correlate with Their Ability To Bind NbSKη

Geminiviruses induce severe developmental abnormalities in plants. The C4/AC4 protein encoded by geminiviruses, especially those not associated with betasatellites, functions as a symptom determinant by hijacking a shaggy-related protein kinase (SKη) and interfering with its functions. Here, we report that the symptom determinant capabilities of C4 proteins encoded by different geminiviruses are divergent and tightly correlated with their abilities to interact with SKη from Nicotiana benthamiana (NbSKη). Swap of the minidomain of tomato leaf curl Yunnan virus (TLCYnV) C4 critical for the interaction with NbSKη increases the capacities of the C4 proteins encoded by tomato yellow leaf curl China virus (TYLCCNV) or tobacco curly shoot virus (TbCSV) to induce symptoms. The severity of symptoms induced by recombinant TYLCCNV C4 or TbCSV C4 correlates with the amount of NbSKη tethered to the plasma membrane by the viral protein. Moreover, a recombinant TYLCCNV harboring the minidomain of TLCYnV C4 induces more-severe symptoms than wild-type TYLCCNV. Thus, this study provides new insights into the mechanism by which different geminivirus-encoded C4 proteins possess divergent symptom determinant capabilities.IMPORTANCE Geminiviruses constitute the largest group of known plant viruses and cause devastating diseases in many economically important crops worldwide. Geminivirus-encoded C4 protein is a multifunctional protein. In this study, we found that the C4 proteins from different geminiviruses showed differential abilities to interact with NbSKη, which correlated with their symptom determinant capabilities. Moreover, a minidomain of tomato leaf curl Yunnan virus (TLCYnV) C4 that is indispensable for interacting with NbSKη and tethering it to the plasma membrane, thus leading to symptom induction, was determined. Supporting these findings, a recombinant geminivirus carrying the minidomain of TLCYnV C4 induced more-severe symptoms than the wild type. Therefore, these findings expand the scope of the interaction of NbSKη and C4-mediated symptom induction and thus contribute to further understanding of the multiple roles of C4.