TOR Inhibition Enhances Autophagic Flux and Immune Response in Tomato Plants Against PSTVd Infection

Viroids are small, non-coding RNA pathogens known for their ability to cause severe plant diseases. Despite their simple structure, viroids like Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid (PSTVd) can interfere with plant cellular processes, including transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms, impacting plant growth and yield. In this study, we have investigated the role of the Target Of Rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathway in modulating viroid pathogenesis in tomato plants infected with PSTVd. Our findings reveal that PSTVd infection induces the accumulation of the selective autophagy receptor NBR1, potentially inhibiting autophagic flux. Pharmacological inhibition of TOR with AZD8055 mitigated PSTVd symptomatology by reducing viroid accumulation. Furthermore, TOR inhibition promoted the recovery of autophagic flux through NBR1. It primed the plant defense response, as evidenced by enhanced expression of the defense-related gene PR1b and S5H, a gene involved in the salicylic acid catabolism. These results suggest a novel role for TOR in regulating viroid-induced pathogenesis and highlight the potential of TOR inhibitors as tools for enhancing plant resistance against viroid infections.