A New Strategy of Cross-Protection Based on Attenuated Vaccines: RNA Viruses Are Used as Vectors to Control DNA Viruses

Mingjing Zhu; Shanshan Liu; Zhao Wang; Chengming Yu; Xuefeng Yuan

A New Strategy of Cross-Protection Based on Attenuated Vaccines: RNA Viruses Are Used as Vectors to Control DNA Viruses

2023

Mingjing Zhu | Shanshan Liu | Zhao Wang | Chengming Yu | Xuefeng Yuan

Plant viruses can infect various types of plants, including food and oil crops, and ornamental flowers, threatening agricultural production and food supply. Cross-protection is an efficient strategy against severe viral strains. Due to distinct infection mechanisms, cross-protection cases involving RNA viruses and DNA viruses often rely on the utilization of corresponding attenuated strains for control purposes. In this study, we utilized cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), a member of the RNA virus group, as the foundational framework for developing attenuated vaccines. We developed four vaccines by inserting relevant sequences from tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), a DNA virus. All vaccines demonstrated effective prevention against TYLCV infection, with relative control efficacies exceeding 80%. Subsequently, we evaluated the preventive effects of these vaccines on mixed infections of CMV and TYLCV. Our findings demonstrated that CMV (R2-2bPTI-TYC1C4), CMV (R2-2bPTII-TYC1C4), and CMV (R2-2bPTIII-TYRep) displayed significant efficacy in preventing mixed infections. Following pre-inoculation with these vaccines, the disease index of tomato plants decreased from 100 to 56. This work provides theoretical foundations and tangible resources for controlling TYLCV through cross-protection while suggesting a feasible strategy for utilizing weak RNA virus vaccines to control DNA viruses.

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