Molecular gatekeepers: eukaryotic translation factors decoding plant-virus dynamics for resistance engineering

Area of Science:

• Plant Pathology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Plant viruses are major biotic stressors threatening crop productivity and food security.
• Viral success relies on hijacking host eukaryotic translation factors (eTFs) like initiation factors (eIFs) and elongation factors (eEFs).
• Specific eTFs (e.g., eIF4E, eIF4G, eEF1A) are crucial susceptibility factors for viral replication and movement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the mechanistic roles of eTFs in plant virus-host interactions.
• To highlight strategies for mitigating viral stress by targeting eTFs.
• To propose an eTF-centered framework for resistance breeding.

Main Methods:

• Literature review synthesizing current understanding of eTF functions in viral life cycles.
• Exploration of various genetic and molecular approaches for reducing plant susceptibility.
• Integration of molecular biology, functional genomics, and breeding innovation.

Main Results:

• eTFs are essential molecular gatekeepers exploited by viruses through specialized proteins and RNA elements.
• Viruses co-evolve mechanisms (e.g., VPg, IRES) to hijack eTFs and bypass plant defenses.
• Genetic strategies like allele mining, mutagenesis, and CRISPR/Cas offer tools to engineer resistance.

Conclusions:

• Targeted manipulation of eTFs can reprogram plants for resistance while preserving cellular functions.
• An eTF-centered framework integrated with stress biology offers a novel approach to resistance breeding.
• Future research should focus on functional genomics, synthetic biology, and breeding innovation for sustainable resistance.