virus infection Flashcards
what are the methods of transmission in plant viruses?
- mechanical
- vegetative propagation
- vectors
what is required for viruses to infect plants?
a mechanical breach of the integrity of the cell wall in order to directly introduce a virus particle into the cell
how do some viruses utilise the plasmodesmata?
normal plasmodesmata are too small to allow passage of virus particles and genomic nucleic acids, but many plant viruses have evolved specialised movement proteins to modify the plasmodesmata
give an example of a virus which utilises the plasmodesmata to infect plants
TMV - produces 30-K protein which causes the plasmodesmata to begin to transport genomic RNA from infected cells to neighbouring cells
what are the symptoms of virus infection in plants?
- growth retardation
- distortion
- mosaic patterning on leaves
- yellowing
- wilting
what do the symptoms of virus infection in plants result from?
necrosis
hypoplasia
hyperplasia
what is hypoplasia? (plants)
localised retarded growth that frequently leads to mosaicism
what is hyperplasia? (plants)
excessive cell division or growth of abnormally large cells, resulting in the production of swollen or distorted areas of the plant
what does the hypersensitive response refer to?
- the synthesis of a range of new proteins - in response to virus
- increase in production of cell wall phenolic substances
- release of active oxygen species
- production of phytoalexins
- accumulation of salicylic acid
what are the characteristics of systemic resistance to virus infection in plants?
these plants have a tendency to increase local necrosis, producing substances such as proteases and peroxides to prevent systemic spread
how is Tobacco N gene an example of how a plant may have systemic resistance to viral infection?
- this gene encodes a cytoplasmic protein with a nucleotide binding site that interferes with TMV replicase
- when present in plants, this gene causes TMV to produce a localised necrotic infection rather than systemic mosaicism
how are virus-resistant plants created?
by production of transgenic plants expressing recombinant virus proteins or nucleic acids that interfere with virus replication without producing the pathogenic consequences of infection
which virus components can be used to create a virus-resistant plant?
- virus coat proteins
- intact or partial virus replicase that interfere with genome replication
- antisense RNAs
- defective virus genomes
what is the importance of the humoral immune response to virus infection?
permits clearance of the virus from the body
what is the importance of serum neutralisation in the humoral immune response?
stops the spread of virus to uninfected cells and allows other defence mechanisms to mop up infection