The Tomato brown rugose fruit virus movement protein overcomes Tm-22 resistance while attenuating viral transport

Abstract

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is a new virus of the Tobamovirus genus, causing substantial damage to tomato crops in the Middle East. Reports of recent ToBRFV outbreaks from around the world indicate an emerging global epidemic. ToBRFV overcomes all tobamovirus resistances in tomato, including the durable Tm-22 resistance gene. Here, we show that the ToBRFV movement protein (MPToBRFV) is the cause for overcoming Tm-22 resistance. Transient expression of MPToBRFV failed to activate the Tm-22 resistance response. Replacement of the original MP sequences of Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) with MPToBRFV enabled this recombinant virus to overcome Tm-22 resistance. Hybrid protein analysis revealed that the resistance-breaking elements are located between MPToBRFV amino acids 1 and 216, and not the C terminus as previously assumed. Interestingly, replacement of Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and ToMV MPs with MPToBRFV caused an attenuation of systemic infection of both viruses. Cell-to-cell movement analysis revealed that MPToBRFV moves less effectively compared to the TMV MP (MPTMV). These findings suggest that overcoming Tm-22 is associated with attenuated MP function. This viral fitness cost may explain the high durability of Tm-22 resistance, which had remained unbroken for over 60 years.