Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), a devastating pathogen of tomato crops, is vectored by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, yet the mechanisms underlying TYLVC epidemics are poorly understood. We found that TYLCV triggers the up-regulation of two β-myrcene biosynthesis genes in tomato, leading to the attraction of nonviruliferous B. tabaci. We also identified BtMEDOR6 as a key whitefly olfactory receptor of β-myrcene involved in the distinct preference of B. tabaci MED for TYLCV-infected plants. TYLCV inhibits the expression of BtMEDOR6, canceling this preference and thereby facilitating TYLCV transmission to uninfected plants. Greenhouse experiments corroborated the role of β-myrcene in whitefly attraction. These findings reveal a sophisticated viral strategy whereby TYLCV modulates both host plant attractiveness and vector olfactory perception to enhance its spread.
Liang, P., Zeng, Y., Ning, J., Wu, X., Wang, W., Ren, J., Wu, Q., Yang, X., Wang, S., Guo, Z., Su, Q., Zhou, X., Turlings, T. C. J., Xie, W., & Zhang, Y. (2025). A plant virus manipulates both its host plant and the insect that facilitates its transmission. *Science Advances, 11*(9), eadr4563. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adr4563
Source: Science Advances
