Oral: Virus-Host Interactions
40-O
Ethylene inhibition can prevent aphid attraction and Potato Virus Y spread.
A. BAK (1), S. Chen (2), T. Antichera (2), L. Perilla (2), C. Casteel (2) (1) UCDavis, U.S.A.; (2) UCDavis, U.S.A.
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Vector-borne pathogens influence host characteristics relevant to host-vector contact, increasing pathogen transmission and survival. Potato Virus Y (PVY) is vector-borne and considered one of the most damaging viruses for potato worldwide. Previous studies have demonstrated aphid vectors have higher fecundity and preferentially settle on PVY-infected potatoes compared to controls. Here we demonstrate PVY infection increases ethylene production and we show that ethylene production is required for increased vector attraction to infected plants. Further, we demonstrate pathogen spread can be prevented by temporarily inhibiting ethylene signaling. Virus-induced changes in ethylene responses may mediate vector-plant interactions more broadly and thus represent a conserved mechanism for increasing transmission by insect vectors.