MicroRNA750-3p Targets Processing of Precursor 7 to Suppress Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus Propagation in Vector Laodelphax striatellus

TL;DR

This study shows that a specific microRNA in a rice pest insect helps control the spread of a harmful rice virus by targeting a key protein involved in viral processing.

Contribution

The study identifies miR750-3p as a novel regulator of rice black-streaked dwarf virus propagation in its insect vector via targeting POP7.

Findings

Ls-miR750-3p is downregulated in RBSDV-infected planthoppers and mainly expressed in the midgut.

miR750-3p reduces viral accumulation, while its inhibitor increases it in SBPH.

POP7 is a target of miR750-3p and its knockdown increases RBSDV propagation and transmission.

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs, which, as members of the RNA interference pathway, play a pivotal role in antiviral infection. Almost 80% of plant viruses are transmitted by insect vectors; however, little is known about the interaction of the miRNAs of insect vectors with plant viruses. Here, we took rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV), a devastating virus to rice production in eastern Asia, and the small brown planthopper, (SBPH, Laodelphax striatellus) as a model to investigate the role of microRNA750-3p (miR750-3p) in regulating viral transmission. Our results showed that Ls-miR750-3p was downregulated in RBSDV-infected SBPH and predominately expressed in the midgut of SBPH. Injection with miR750-3p agomir significantly reduced viral accumulation, and the injection with the miR750-3p inhibitor, antagomir-750-3p, dramatically promoted the viral accumulation in SBPH, as detected using RT-qPCR and Western blotting. The processing of precursor 7 (POP7), a subunit of RNase P and RNase MRP, was screened, identified, and verified using a dual luciferase reporter assay as one target of miR750-3p. Knockdown of POP7 notably increased RBSDV viral propagation in SBPH and then increased the viral transmission rate by SBPH. Taken together, our data indicate that miR750-3p targets POP7 to suppress RBSDV infection in its insect vector. These results enriched the role of POP7 in modulating virus infection in host insects and shared new insight into the function of miRNAs in plant virus and insect vector interaction.

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