Post translational modifications at the verge of plant-geminivirus interaction

Plant-virus interaction is a complex phenomenon and involves the communication between plant and viral factors. Viruses have very limited coding ability yet, they are able to cause infection which results in huge agroeconomic losses throughout the globe each year. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are covalent modifications of proteins that have a drastic effect on their conformation, stability and function. Like the host proteins, geminiviral proteins are also subject to PTMs and these modifications greatly expand the diversity of their functions. Additionally, these viral proteins can also interact with the components of PTM pathways and modulate them. Several studies have highlighted the importance of PTMs such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation, myristoylation, S-acylation, acetylation and methylation in plant-geminivirus interaction. PTMs also regulate epigenetic modifications during geminivirus infection which determines viral gene expression. In this review, we have summarized the role of PTMs in regulating geminiviral protein function, influence of PTMs on viral gene expression and how geminiviral proteins interact with the components of PTM pathways to modulate their function.

Automated summary

This article discusses the importance of post-translational modifications (PTMs) in plant-virus interaction. The interactions between viral proteins and components of PTM pathways play a crucial role in regulating the function of viral proteins and gene expression.