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Review
. 2018 May 17:9:666.
doi: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00666. eCollection 2018.

Plant Viral Proteases: Beyond the Role of Peptide Cutters

Bernardo Rodamilans  1 , Hongying Shan  1 , Fabio Pasin  2 , Juan Antonio García  1
Affiliations
Review

Plant Viral Proteases: Beyond the Role of Peptide Cutters

Bernardo Rodamilans et al. Front Plant Sci. .

Abstract

Almost half of known plant viral species rely on proteolytic cleavages as key co- and post-translational modifications throughout their infection cycle. Most of these viruses encode their own endopeptidases, proteases with high substrate specificity that internally cleave large polyprotein precursors for the release of functional sub-units. Processing of the polyprotein, however, is not an all-or-nothing process in which endopeptidases act as simple peptide cutters. On the contrary, spatial-temporal modulation of these polyprotein cleavage events is crucial for a successful viral infection. In this way, the processing of the polyprotein coordinates viral replication, assembly and movement, and has significant impact on pathogen fitness and virulence. In this mini-review, we give an overview of plant viral proteases emphasizing their importance during viral infections and the varied functionalities that result from their proteolytic activities.

Keywords: defense and counterdefense; host range; plant viruses; viral polyprotein; viral proteases; viral replication; virion formation.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Plant viral species encoding proteases. Total number of plant viral species was based on the ICTV Master Species List (ICTV, 2017). Types of proteases and percentages were calculated counting the total number of proteases present in each of the accounted viral species.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Schematic representation of plant viruses and their proteolytic cleavage sites. Triangles represent cleavage sites of endopeptidases. Colors of the Continuedtriangles match the colors of the corresponding endopeptidases: orange for cysteine, blue for serine, yellow for aspartic, purple for unknown and green for plant proteases; only genomes, or sub-genomes encoding polyproteins subject to proteolytic cleavage are depicted. For each family, a representative species covering the different endopeptidases are depicted. TSWV is included as representative member of the order Bunyavirales. Scale of the genome map is maintained only within each viral species. Dotted lines used in the Endornaviridae family indicate that processing is only theoretical. Question mark indicates that the way of processing is unknown. PPV, Plum pox virus, Potyvirus; CVYV, Cucumber vein yellowing virus, Ipomovirus; BaYMV, Barley yellow mosaic virus, Bymovirus; SMoV, Strawberry mottle virus, unassigned; PLRV, Potato leafroll virus, Polerovirus; SeMV, Sesbania mosaic virus, Sobemovirus; TYMV, Turnip yellow mosaic virus, Tymovirus; BYV, Beet yellow virus, Closterovirus; CTV, Citrus tristeza virus, Closterovirus; BBScV, Blueberry scorch virus, Carlavirus; BNYVV, Beet necrotic yellow vein virus, Benyvirus; CeMV, Cucumis melo alphaendornavirus, Alphaendornavirus; TSWV, Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus, Orthotospovirus; AthAtRV, Arabidopsis thaliana AtRE1 virus, Pseudovirus; AthAthV-At, Arabidopsis thaliana Athila virus, Metavirus; CaMV, Cauliflower mosaic virus, Caulimovirus.
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