Mutational analysis of plant cap-binding protein eIF4E reveals key amino acids involved in biochemical functions and potyvirus infection

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) (the cap-binding protein) is involved in natural resistance against several potyviruses in plants. In lettuce, the recessive resistance genes mol(1) and mol(2) against Lettuce mosaic virus (LMV) are alleles coding for forms of eIF4E unable, or less effective, to support virus accumulation. A recombinant LMV expressing the eIF4E of a susceptible lettuce variety from its genome was able to produce symptoms in mol(1) or mol(2) varieties. In order to identify the eIF4E amino acid residues necessary for viral infection, we constructed recombinant LMV expressing eIF4E with point mutations affecting various amino acids and compared the abilities of these eIF4E mutants to complement LW infection in resistant plants. Three types of mutations were produced in order to affect different biochemical functions of eIF4E: cap binding, eIF4G binding, and putative interaction with other virus or host proteins. Several mutations severely reduced the ability of eIF4E to complement LW accumulation in a resistant host and impeded essential eIF4E functions in yeast. However, the ability of eIF4E to bind a cap analogue or to fully interact with eIF4G appeared unlinked to LW infection. In addition to providing a functional mutational map of a plant eIF4E, this suggests that the role of eIF4E in the LMV cycle might be distinct from its physiological function in cellular mRNA translation.