The role of whitefly bacterial endosymbiont GroEL proteins in the transmissibility of squash leaf curl virus

Plants, animals, and bacteria have evolved to interact among each other. Understanding how these interactions influence the life cycle of each of the species involved is important. The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) B biotype is a well-known vector of many viral plant pathogens. The GroEL heat shock protein produced by a whitefly bacterial endosymbiont plays a critical role in the transmission of various plant viruses, such as the Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV), to the host plant by binding to the viral coat protein and escorting it through the insect vector. By studying the interactions of various types of GroEL proteins with insect-vectored plant virus coat proteins, the mechanisms allowing for virus transmission can be better understood. This project examined the binding specificity of various GroEL proteins to Squash Leaf Curl Virus (SLCV) wild-type coat proteins, two mutant strains of the SLCV that cannot be transmitted to the host plant, and other virus coat proteins, using the yeast two-hybrid system. This study clarifies the role of GroEL proteins in the transmission pathway of SLCV by B. tabaci and how possible mutations to the virus coat protein may affect its transmissibility. This project provides information for potential development of novel methods of pest control in agricultural systems.