Poster: Molecular & Cellular Plant-Microbe Interactions: Biochemistry & Cell Biology
699-P
In planta interaction between Tobacco mosaic virus 126 kDa protein and a host membrane protein (SNARE) and its influence on virus RNA accumulation
R. NELSON (1), A. Ibrahim (1), J. Schoelz (2) (1) Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc., U.S.A.; (2) University of Missouri, U.S.A.
Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) 126 kDa protein aids virus accumulation and is necessary for virus intercellular movement. This protein also co-localizes or associates with the endoplasmic reticulum and vacuole membrane (reviewed in Liu et al. 2013 Front. Plant Sci. 4:12. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2013.00012). The importance of the 126 kDa protein interaction with different host membranes as it relates to virus accumulation is not understood. As shown through yeast two hybrid analysis the 126 kDa protein interacts with two host proteins: one putatively involved in membrane fusion with vacuoles and the second with intra-vacuolar protease activity. Here we will show the co-localization of the membrane fusion protein, a plant SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive attachment protein receptor) protein, in planta with the 126 kDa protein. Additionally, we are analyzing the influence of this and other SNARE proteins on tobamovirus [TMV and Turnip vein clearing virus (TVCV)] RNA accumulation using Arabidopsis T-DNA mutants. TVCV is being studied because of the different characteristics of its 126 kDa protein homolog, the 125 kDa protein (e.g. different aggregation states displayed during their ectopic expression). The importance of this SNARE protein for subcellular localization of the TMV 126 kDa protein and virus RNA accumulation will be summarized.