A viral protein hijacks the plant ethylene signaling to manipulate insect feeding behavior

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

BACKGROUND: Insect-borne viruses represent a major threat to global agriculture and public health. Rice ragged stunt virus (RRSV), a destructive pathogen transmitted by brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stå), lacks comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying its replication and transmission. RESULTS: This study reveals that the RRSV P6 protein serves as a key regulator of vector-borne transmission by sequentially interacting with RTE1-HOMOLOG 2 (OsRTH2) and ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3-LIKE 2 (OsEIL2) in the host ethylene signaling pathway. This biphasic strategy manipulates brown planthopper (BPH) behavior, initially promoting viral replication and subsequently facilitating epidemic spread. Furthermore, the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) significantly impairs BPH fitness, reducing survival and fecundity. CONCLUSIONS: Our study elucidates how a plant virus manipulates the host ethylene signaling pathway to promote its own replication and transmission. Moreover, we identify the ethylene biosynthesis precursor ACC as a potential, environmentally friendly control agent against brown planthoppers.