Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Plant Pathology / Dorith Rotenberg / Frankliniella occidentalis, the western flower thrips, transmits the plant-pathogenic virus, Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), through a circulative-propagative transmission strategy. The virus infects and replicates in the insect, traversing membrane barriers as it moves from the midgut to the salivary glands for subsequent inoculation of a plant host. Based on well-characterized virus-vector systems, many molecular interactions occur as the virus completes an infection cycle in the vector, and knowledge of transcriptome-wide response of thrips to TSWV has been limited. My research goals were to gain insight into i) the molecular responses that occur in thrips vectors of orthotospoviruses, ii) the role of antiviral defense in viruliferous thrips, and iii) plant transgenic-based strategies for studying thrips gene function and crop-pest control. To this end, my specific research objectives were to: 1) generate, assemble, and annotate a RNA-Seq-derived transcriptome for F. occidentalis using the thrips genome, and to quantify global gene expression in response to TSWV activity in larval, pre-pupal, and adult developmental stages, 2) conduct a time-course experiment to determine the effect(s) of challenging TSWV-exposed and non-exposed thrips with dsRNAs of F. occidentalis Dcr-2 or AGO2 by hemocoel injection, and 3) construct transgenic plants expressing a thrips-gene specific dsRNA hairpin to target a vital gene. My research has catalogued insect response to TSWV activity in thrips during development and provides candidate sequences for functional analysis of genes involved in insect development and defense. Successful silencing of the antiviral RNAi pathway in thrips revealed increased mortality and decreased offspring production in both virus-exposed and non-exposed insects. Arabidopsis plants were developed to express dsRNA of vacuolar ATP synthase (V-ATPase) and preliminary feeding bioassays to explore the effect of these transgenics on thrips fitness indicate a need for further description of thrips dsRNA uptake. In total, my research contributes new basic knowledge underpinning the complex and dynamic relationship between thrips vectors and the plant viruses they transmit.

Submitted by (lucia.rodrigues@ufrpe.br) on 2017-03-17T12:01:04Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Frank Magno da Costa.pdf: 2036897 bytes, checksum: 7498ff1cf68c11e56e2e3d7ce12c8e57 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-17T12:01:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Frank Magno da Costa.pdf: 2036897 bytes, checksum: 7498ff1cf68c11e56e2e3d7ce12c8e57 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-02-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Brevipalpus mites are vectors of several plant viruses called Brevipalpus transmitted virus –BrTV. Among these, Citrus leprosis virus C (CiLV-C) and Coffee ringspot virus (CoRSV) are important due to the damages caused in Citrus spp. and Coffea spp., respectively. The symptoms occur as localized infection on both leaves and fruits. The interactions between vector and virus are of particular interest both from the scientific perspective and on the development of control measures. However, for these and other BrTV, the mode interactions are still unknown. Preliminary study suggests that CoRSV replicates in the vector tissue, while CiLV-C is mode circulates manner. The aim of this study was to investigate the interactions established between CiLV-C and CoRSV with B. phoenicis. Adult females aviruliferous of B. phoenicis were submitted to acquisition access period of respective virus during five days. After this time they were transferred to hosts (treatments): mungbean (Canavalia ensiformis, non-host of the virus), symptomatic and healthy (citrus and coffee plants) and collected after four different periods of time: 0; 7; 14 and 21 days. The interactions were investigated by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and transmission assays. The qPCR revealed that there was no increase in viral load over time in all treatments for any of the virus in question. The TEM, it was not possible to detect particles of CiLV-C or CoRSV. CiLV-C transmission rate was 83, 75% and 58% for the treatments symptomatic citrus, mungbean and healthy citrus, respectively. The first symptoms of the leprosis were observed after 30±5 days after mites infestation. In the CoRSV transmission assays no symptoms of coffee ringspot were observed during a period of six months. These results suggest that a long incubation period was be necessary before CoRSV transmission by the vector. By the CiLV-C the results indicate that interaction type virus-vector is of the circulative mode. / Ácaros Brevipalpus são vetores de inúmeros vírus, comumente chamados de vírus transmitidos por Brevipalpus- VTB. Dentre esses, o vírus da leprose dos citros (Citrus leprosis virus C, CiLV-C) e o vírus da mancha anular do cafeeiro (Coffee ringspot virus - CoRSV) são importantes devido aos danos que causam em Citrus spp. e Coffea spp., respectivamente. Os sintomas ocorrem de maneira localizada em folhas e frutos. As interações entre os vírus e seus vetores apresentam particular interesse, tanto do ponto de vista científico quanto no desenvolvimento de novas abordagens para o controle das doenças por eles causadas. Entretanto, para esses e outros VTB, as interações são ainda pouco conhecidas. Estudos preliminares sugerem que o CoRSV se replica no interior do ácaro vetor, enquanto o CiLV-C apenas circula. O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar os tipos de interações estabelecidas entre o CiLV-C e o CoRSV com B. phoenicis. Fêmeas adultas de B. phoenicis avirulíferas foram submetidas a um período de acesso para aquisição dos respectivos vírus durante cinco dias. Após esse tempo foram transferidas para hospedeiros (tratamentos): feijão-de-porco (não hospedeira dos vírus), plantas suscetíveis, sintomáticas e/ou sadias (laranja doce e cafeeiro) e coletadas após quatro diferentes períodos de tempo: 0; 7; 14 e 21 dias. As interações foram investigadas por reação em cadeia da polimerase em tempo real (qPCR), microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (MET) e testes de transmissão. A qPCR revelou que não houve aumento da carga viral ao longo do tempo em nenhum dos tratamentos avaliados para nenhum dos vírus em questão. A MET não detectou partículas de CiLV-C e CoRSV. A taxa de transmissão do CiLV-C foi de 83; 75 e 58% para os tratamentos frutos de laranja sintomáticos, feijão-de-porco e frutos de laranja sadio, respectivamente. Os primeiros sintomas de leprose dos citros foram observados após 30±5 dias após a infestação dos ácaros. Nos testes de transmissão de CoRSV nenhum sintoma da mancha anular foi observado durante um período de seis meses. Estes resultados indicam a necessidade de longo período é necessário antes da transmissão do CoRSV pelo vetor. Para o CiLV-C os resultados indicam que o tipo de interação vírus-vetor é persistente circulativa.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de NÃvel Superior / Os begomovÃrus, vÃrus da famÃlia Geminiviridae transmitidos por mosca branca, tÃm emergido como sÃrios patÃgenos de culturas agronÃmicas e hortÃcolas em regiÃes tropicais e subtropicais de muitos paÃses em todo o mundo. A partir da dÃcada de 80, tÃm aumentado os relatos da disseminaÃÃo da mosca branca, Bemisia argentifolii, e de begomovÃrus provocando impacto devastador nas regiÃes em que ocorrem. No Brasil, estes patÃgenos tÃm sido limitantes para a produÃÃo de tomate (Lycopersicon esculentum) em vÃrias Ãreas de cultivo com incidÃncia crescente desde 1994. No presente trabalho, plantas de tomate exibindo sintomas de infecÃÃo provocada por vÃrus como mosaico, clorose internerval, enrolamento do limbo foliar e reduÃÃo do crescimento, foram coletadas em lavouras de tomate indÃstria em AnÃpolis-GO. O vÃrus foi identificado como pertencente ao gÃnero Begomovirus mediante tÃcnica de PCR usando oligonucleotÃdeos especÃficos que amplificaram fragmentos dos componentes A e B do genoma viral. No capÃtulo I sÃo apresentados os resultados da caracterizaÃÃo molecular e no capÃtulo II, os dados da determinaÃÃo do cÃrculo de hospedeiros e da investigaÃÃo da relaÃÃo do begomovÃrus com o vetor Bemisia argentifolii. O isolado denominado GOANPL, foi clonado e parcialmente seqÃenciado tendo sido obtidas as seqÃÃncias nucleotÃdicas dos genes da capa proteica, Rep e de toda a regiÃo intergÃnica, em um total de 2.130 nucleotÃdeos. A anÃlise comparativa das seqÃÃncias revelou que, em geral, o GOANPL possui relacionamento genÃtico distante com begomovÃrus da Ãsia, Europa e Ãfrica sendo mais prÃximo das espÃcies do Brasil, particularmente, com os begomovÃrus identificados em Minas Gerais (TRMV) e no Distrito Federal (DF-BR2). Com este Ãltimo, apresentou alta homologia em todo o genoma podendo vir a constituir, com o mesmo, uma nova espÃcie. A determinaÃÃo do cÃrculo de hospedeiros do GO-ANPL foi realizada inoculando-se 46 espÃcies vegetais pertencentes a nove famÃlias botÃnicas, sob duas modalidades de inoculaÃÃo: mecÃnica e com a mosca branca. Constatou-se que o GO-ANPL infecta, preferencialmente, plantas da famÃlia Solanaceae como Nicotiana benthamiana, Datura stramonium e Nicandra physalodes. O nÃmero de espÃcies infectadas com o inseto vetor foi superior ao obtido pela inoculaÃÃo mecÃnica e diferiu dos resultados obtidos para outros isolados de begomovÃrus de tomate no Brasil. Os testes foram todos confirmados com hibridizaÃÃo com sondas moleculares, em \"dot blot\"No estudo da relaÃÃo vÃrus-vetor, foram investigados o perÃodo de acesso de aquisiÃÃo do vÃrus (PAA), o perÃodo de acesso de inoculaÃÃo do vÃrus (PAI), e o perÃodo de latÃncia do vÃrus na fase adulta do vetor, empregando-se cinco moscas/planta de tomate \'Santa Clara\' em todos os tratamentos. Para a definiÃÃo do PAA e do PAI, foram testados nove diferentes perÃodos de tempo: 0,25, 0,5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 20 e 24 horas. Nos testes para determinaÃÃo do PAA, apÃs cada um desses perÃodos seguiu-se uma inoculaÃÃo de 48 horas e para definiÃÃo do PAI, antes de cada perÃodo antecedeu-se um perÃodo de acesso de aquisiÃÃo fixo de 72 horas. Constatou-se que o PAA mÃnimo da mosca branca foi de apenas 0,25 hora, com o qual foram obtidas 6% de plantas infectadas. O percentual de plantas aumentou de 6 para 65% com a extensÃo do PAA de 0,25 para 24 horas. Com relaÃÃo ao perÃodo de acesso de inoculaÃÃo do vÃrus, foram registrados 18% de plantas infectadas com o PAI de 0,5 hora. O percentual elevou-se para 67% quando 24 horas de PAI foram concedidos. Valores isolados de 90 e 100% na transmissÃo viral, tambÃm foram observados. O tÃrmino do perÃodo latente do vÃrus no vetor ocorreu 16h apÃs a aquisiÃÃo do mesmo em planta infectada, considerando os 3% de infecÃÃo observados nas plantas inoculadas. Os dados obtidos indicam que a interaÃÃo vÃrus-vetor à estabelecida desde a fase inicial de desenvolvimento do inseto. Como parte do estudo dessa interaÃÃo, avaliou-se a presenÃa do begomovÃrus GO-ANPL em todas as fases de desenvolvimento do inseto vetor (ovo, 1 ao 4 Ãnstar e adulto) na planta infectada, em adultos com diferentes PAA, na progÃnie de fÃmeas virulÃferas e em adultos cujos estÃgios ninfais desenvolveram-se em tomateiro infectado. A tÃcnica PCR foi empregada para a detecÃÃo do GO-ANPL em mais de 2.500 espÃcimens testados. O vÃrus foi detectado em ninfas do 1 ao 4 Ãnstar que se alimentaram em plantas de tomate infectada, contudo, em ovos provenientes de avirulÃferas, os quais foram ovipositados em planta infectada e coletados apÃs sete dias, o vÃrus nÃo foi detectado. A transmissÃo à progÃnie foi constatada pela detecÃÃo do vÃrus em ovos, ninfas e adultos que se desenvolveram em planta nÃo hospedeira do vÃrus. A transmissÃo transestadial ocorreu com Ãndice elevado e, ao lado da transmissÃo à progÃnie, indica que a retenÃÃo do vÃrus à uma etapa importante da interaÃÃo vÃrusâvetor. A transmissÃo do vÃrus para mudas de tomate, a partir de adultos da progÃnie de fÃmeas virulÃferas, nÃo foi constatada. Contudo, transmissÃo para tomateiro em um percentual de 33% foi verificado nos casos em que a inoculaÃÃo das plantas foi realizada pelos adultos que retiveram o vÃrus da sua fase imatura (transestadial) / The whitefly-transmitted viruses from the family Geminiviridae, genus Begomovirus, have been reported as an economically important pathogen group that affect important crops in tropical and subtropical countries. Since the beginning of the 1980 decade, the occurrence of the whitefly associated to Begomovirus infection has drastically increased worldwide. In Brazil, these pathogens have been responsable for severe economical losses in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) orchards and the production has hampered since 1994. In this work, infected tomato plants showing symptoms, such as mosaic, intervein clearing, leaf curling and growth reduction were collected in tomato orchards in AnÃpolis, State of GoiÃs. The virus was identified as a member of the genus Begomovirus by PCR reaction, using specific primers to amplify fragments of A and B components of the virus DNA genome. The Chapter I of this thesis presents the results of the molecular characterization of the virus and the Chapter II shows the determination of its host range and the relationship with its natural vector Bemisia argentifolii. The virus isolate denoted GO-ANPL was cloned and partially sequenced. Part of the sequenced genome (2.180 nucleotides long) corresponded to the coat protein and Rep genes and comprised the entire intergenic region. Sequence comparison revealed that the GO-ANPL isolate is distantly related to the begomoviruses found in Asia, Europe and Africa, and it is related to other begomoviruses reported in Brazil. The virus isolate showed to be more closely related to viruses found in the State of Minas Gerais (TRMV isolate) and in the Federal District (isolate DF-Br2). The highest homology was observed with the isolate DF-Br2 and it may represent a new specie of the genus Begomovirus. In order to determine the virus host range, 46 plant species from nine different botanical families were mechanically and using the virus vector inoculated. The GO-ANPL isolate preferentially infected plants of the family Solanaceae as Nicotiana benthamiana, Datura stramonium and Nicandra physalodes. The number of infected plants was higher when they were inoculated by the virus vector, and the results were distinct from those obtained for other begomoviruses reported in Brazil. Viruses infections were all confirmed by dot blot hybridization using specific molecular probes to the virus. 4 To study virus/vector interaction, the acquisition access period (AAP), inoculation access period (IAP), and the latent period were determined transfering five whiteflies per plant and using tomato cv. Santa Clara as the host. For the AAP and IAP, nine different time periods were tested: 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 20 and 24 h. The minimal AAP determined was 0.25 h, after which, 6% of the tested plants became infected. The number of infected plants increased to 65% with an AAP of24h.Afteran IAP of 0.5 h, 18% of the plants were infected and their number increased to 67% after an IAP of 24 hours. The latent period was considered to be 16 h, after which, 3% of the inoculated plants became infected. The results of AAP, IAP and latent period seem to indicate an early interaction between virus and vector starting at early stages of vector development. The presence of the GOANPL was determined in all stages of the vector (eggs, 1st to 4th instar and adults) in infected plants, in adults under different AAPs, in the progenies of viruliferous females, and in adults originated from nymphs developed from infected plants. More than 2.500 insects were tested by PCR to detect the GO-ANPL isolate. The virus was detected in nymphs from the 1st to 4th instar that had fed in infected plants and no virus was found in eggs from aviruliferous female that had been laid in infected plants. Transmission to the progenies was observed, since the virus was detected in all stages of insect development from eggs to adults. High level transmission was also observed in newly emerged adults that had acess to virus-infected plants as immatures. This fact, in addition to the transmission to the progenies, suggests that virus retention is an important part of virus/vector interaction. No transmission was observed from adults originated from viruliferous females. However, 33% of virus transmission was obtained when adults that retained virus from their early larval stages were employed