All Aphid Effectors on DEK

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In recent years it has become clear that cross-kingdom RNA plays a key role in mediating host-parasite interactions. Research on cross-kingdom RNA has mostly focused on microbial parasites and small RNAs. However, we showed in a recent publication that aphid insect pests use long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as virulence factors, i.e. the peach-potato aphid/green peach aphid (GPA) Myzus persicae, which is a global pest, translocates at least one long lncRNA virulence factor, named Ya1, into divergent plant species, including crops. We show that Ya1 migrates systemically throughout these plant species and promotes GPA colonization on plants. Aphids are sap-sucking insects that are vectors of a range of viruses and bacterial plant pathogens, and also transmit viroids, which consists of only nucleic acid without a protein coat. Our finding that aphids translocate their own nucleic acids that modulate plant processes is novel and mechanisms involved could contribute to the reasons of these sap-sucking insects being such efficient pathogen vectors. In this proposal, we wish to further understand what the aphid nucleic acids do in plants and how they interfere with plant processes. We will focus on aphid lncRNA Ya1 and then also study at least two other aphid lncRNA virulence factors in plants. Data so far suggest that the aphid RNAs interfere with aspects of nucleus-chloroplast communications, including plant defense responses to biotic stress, that so far are still poorly understood. We will use the aphid RNAs to further dissect these processes. We also found that the aphid Ya lncRNAs migrate away from aphid feeding site to distal locations of plants. It has been known for a while that nucleic acids, including those of aphid-transmitted viruses and viroids, migrate throughout plants, but the mechanisms involved have remained largely obscure. In this proposal, we will also use the aphid lncRNAs to better understand processes involved in long-distance migration of nucleic acids in plants.The proposed research will focus on dissecting fundamental plant processes that are likely to play important roles in the ability of aphids to colonize plants and the efficiency of virus/viroid transmission by these insects. In the longer term, we anticipate that this research project will provide the basis for future research that is focused on identification of benign methods to manage outbreaks of aphids and aphid-transmitted pathogens in crops.