Key result
Targeting PELOTA confers plant viral resistance but compromises RNA quality control and normal development.
Why the study?
Although manipulating PELOTA can confer viral resistance, disruption of its essential role in mRNA surveillance impairs normal plant growth and development, requiring careful evaluation before crop engineering.
Disruption of the mRNA-surveillance factor PELOTA can enhance resistance to various plant viruses but may compromise RNA quality control and normal plant development.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Warrants caution in PELOTA crop engineering; leaves open separation of viral resistance gains from developmental and surveillance costs.
The mRNA-surveillance factor, PELOTA is essential for maintaining translation fidelity and facilitating the degradation of faulty mRNAs. Initially recognized for its role in ribosome rescue and RNA quality control in eukaryotic cells, PELOTA has recently garnered attention for its diverse functions in plant biology as well as in plant-virus interactions. Numerous studies suggest that the PELOTA protein plays a distinctive role in determining either susceptibility or resistance to various plant pathogens, including viruses. Interestingly, PELOTA exhibits a dual function: while certain allelic variants confer resistance or susceptibility to diverse plant viruses, complete or severe disruption of its activity impairs fundamental processes of plant growth and development. In this review, we synthesize current knowledge of PELOTA-mediated mRNA surveillance across eukaryotes, critically examine its emerging role in shaping plant–virus dynamics, and assess the deleterious developmental consequences of its mutation in plants. Although disruption of PELOTA can enhance resistance to various pathogens, including viruses, it may also compromise RNA quality control and normal plant development. Thus, a thorough evaluation is essential before targeting PELOTA for engineering durable disease resistance in crops. PELOTA maintains translational fidelity and ribosomal rescue. Although PELOTA manipulation can confer viral resistance, its essential role in mRNA surveillance and plant development necessitates careful evaluation for crop engineering.
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Majumdar et al. (2026) conducted a review in Plant viral infections. Targeting PELOTA gene was evaluated. Targeting the mRNA surveillance factor PELOTA can confer viral resistance in plants, but may also compromise RNA quality control and normal plant development.
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